ISL 2017: 5 best midfielders to watch out for

The Indian Super League (ISL 2017) is all set to commence later on this month with two new teams coming into the fray in the form of Jamshedpur FC and Bengaluru FC. With the competition being up a notch above as compared to the last season, the players will also be keen to perform in the best possible manner over the entire course of the four-month tournament.

The position of the midfielders in the sport of football then is the most demanding out of all -- for they contribute in a major manner in front of the defence, while also setting the initial stage for the attack, thus adding depth and balance to the side.

In this light, Sportskeeda looks at five midfielders who are likely to set the football pitch on fire in the upcoming edition:

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#5 Jaime Gavilán (Chennayin FC)

A product of the youth academy of Valencia, Jaime is an out-an-out Spanish footballer with an experience of over 12 years in the La Liga. He played for Valencia for a major part of his career before moving on to Getafe in 2008.

He usually prefers to play in the capacity of a left midfielder and is most likely to play in the same position for Chennayin FC in this instalment of the ISL. As far as playing in India is concerned, Jaime previously had a stint with Atletico de Kolkata, back in 2015 and made 16 appearances in that season.

#4 Erik Paartalu (Bengaluru FC)

Erik Paartalu

ISL 2017 will be the debut season for Australian international Erik Paartalu, who has the distinction of playing for more than 12 teams across the world. He won the AFC Champions League during his stint Jeonbuk Hyundai, the South Korean outfit and A-league title with Brisbane Roar down-under.

Thus, Erik will be a potent force operating in the midfield of the Blues and is bound to put his foot forward given his plethora of playing experience and adaptability. He will largely play as a defensive midfielder to try and prevent the opposition strikers from breaching the defence and keep them at bay.

#3 Alwyn George (Bengaluru FC)

Alwyn George

A product of the Tata Football Academy, Alwyn George had previously been in the Bengaluru squad back in 2015. He has won the I-league with the Blues and also the AFC Cup wherein he put his name on the scoresheet on two occasions.

When it comes to the Indian Super League, he had a short stint with the Delhi Dynamos and will now don the blue jersey again for the upcoming edition. The attacking midfielder is a vital cog in the machine for the team given his knack of scoring goals at crucial times.

#2 Pronay Halder (FC Goa)

Pronay Halder

"Physically strong, a good passer and technically gifted," is what his coach at Mumbai City FC, Alexandre Guimaraes described him as and well, Pronay Halder is truly a power-house of talent given his versatility to operate in the capacity of a midfielder.

Returning to FC Goa in this season post his previous stint in 2015, he will definitely bring about depth in the Gaurs' midfield and will shine, given his ability to lend balance to the side on both ends during crunch situations over the course of those ninety minutes with his impeccable sense of timing.

#1 Eugeneson Lyngdoh (ATK)

Eugeneson Lyngdoh

He commanded the big bucks at the draft this season and was snapped up eventually by Kolkata for a little more than a crore to finish as the costliest buy. Having finished as the Midfielder of the Year in the I-league last season with Bengaluru FC and then earning a call-up to the Indian team has boosted the player's confidence and self-belief which has relayed onto his performances of the field as well.

The central midfielder, who loves scoring goals as and when he gets a chance, is surely one of the brightest prospects to keep an eye out for in the upcoming season.