ISL 2018-19: Top 5 January Transfers

With ISL 2018-19 season all set to go into the final thrilling matches to decide the top 4 teams, the transfer window has given a choice for the gaffers to rethink their strategy.

Many teams choose not to change their lineup while most of the coaches decided to fix a few bugs here and there.

In this article, let us look at the top 5 transfers done by the ISL teams in the January transfer window.

Among the transfers that did not make the list, the Honorable mentions include Halicharan Narzary to Chenniyin FC and Ulises Davila to Delhi Dynamos. Let us see who the 5 footballers are who made our list.

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# 5 Pritam Kotal

Pritam Kotal has previously played for ATK (Image Courtesy: ISL)

The Indian defender has lots to offer when it comes to the field. Be it the elegant tackles or the timely blocks as a defender, or be it the sharp runs down the wings into the opposition box, Pritam Kotal is up for it.

It was for this reason Kotal was signed by the Delhi Dynamos FC as one of the top tier Indian players. But the story was the same for Delhi as like the previous seasons of ISL. Even after showing much promise with the style of play, they could not convert it into points.

Now that ATK has grabbed him from Delhi, Pritam Kotal will look to help the Kolkata Side take the final leap into being one of the top four teams in the league.

With Steve Coppell at the helm, the defense is supposed to be a strong point of any team that he manages.

Having the quality of Pritam Kotal will help to put the ideas of Coppell into the football field and ATK can hope to have less defensive issues to worry about.

#4 Shouvik Ghosh

Shouvik Ghosh is having a homecoming to North East United FC (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Shouvik Ghosh has been one of the best left-backs in the country having played for the likes of Jamshedpur FC, Delhi Dynamos FC and Mohun Bagan in the previous years.

Mumbai City FC had grabbed the player before the start of the ISL 2018-19 and he played just three matches under Jorge Costa. With Mumbai City FC doing extremely well in the league, he has now moved his way in the January transfer window to NorthEast United FC where he plied his trade earlier in the ISL 2016-17 season.

With NorthEast United FC having had one of the best ever seasons in the history of ISL this year, they will be looking to go the last mile into the knockout stage of the league.

With not many worries on the attacking front for them, the idea to strengthen the defence is a good move which will reap rewards for them in the 2018-19 season.

#3 Zaid Krouch

Zaid Krouch is another quality addition to the Goa side (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Zaid Krouch was an unknown entity to the Indian fans until the rumors of FC Goa signing him started doing rounds. And true to the rumors, FC Goa did sign him in the January transfer window increasing the midfield strength of the Goan side a notch higher.

Krouch has been part of the Moroccan Club Moghreb Tétouan for five years since 2013 and has made 90 appearances for the club scoring 35 goals.

He was also part of the Morocco National team that participated in the 2014 African nations championship.

Krouch comes to FC Goa with a big name and surely will be expected to outperform his own record under Sergio Lobera.

With another Morocco player in Ahmed Jahouh already in the dugout, he will find it easier to adjust into the team settings.

With another quality acquisition under his wings, Sergio Lobera will now be looking at nothing less than a title victory in the ISL season 2018-19 for FC Goa.

#2 CK Vineeth

CK Vineeth and Halicharan Narzary moved together from Kerala to Chennaiyin FC (Image Courtesy: ISL)

The Kerala man has joined the Chennaiyin dugout on loan from Kerala Blasters FC for the second phase of the ISL.

After a disappointing ISL 2018-19, he will be looking forward to turning his story around apart from contributing to retaining the pride for Chennaiyin FC.

CK Vineeth was one of the stars who faced the wrath of the fans due to his poor form with Kerala Blasters.

There have been enough rumors doing round that Vineeth might not play for Kerala again and he even commented that the fans must back the team and the players even in crisis and should not hurl abuses at the players.

It is important to remember at this point that he was one of the most loved stars of the Kerala squad that reached the finals of ISL under Steve Coppell.

Along with Vineeth, the Indian International Halicharan Narzary also have joined Chennaiyin FC giving the Abhishek Bachchan owned side much needed boost to their frontline.

With Jeje Lalpekhlua misfiring in the league, Vineeth will be much looked at to shower his late goals for Chennaiyin FC.

#1 Edu Garcia

Edu Garcia is having his second stint in Indian football with ATK

Edu Garcia is a name to reckon with in ISL. The playmaker was one of the top performers for Bengaluru FC before being grabbed by the Chinese club Zhejiang Greentown F.C. for a transfer fee of USD 150000.

The move was highly discussed in the Indian football circles as Bengaluru FC pocketed a decent transfer income with this transfer.

Now with Edu Garcia returning to Indian football with ATK, the hopes of an improved performance by the Kolkata side will be revived.

Even after having a quality midfielder in the form of Manuel Lanzarote, they have not been able to force into the Top 4 of the league.

With Edu Garcia joining the ranks, the frontline will be strengthened and ATK will definitely push for that last minute leap into the knockout phase of the ISL 2018-19 season.

Undoubtedly, Edu Garcia is the most high profile Transfer move in the January transfer window of ISL 2018-19.