ISL: 5 Players who have played for most number of clubs

ISL clubs have often seen players be a part of their sides on a short-term basis. Though long-term contracts have become more common these days, the introduction of large transfer fees has led to more transfers between clubs.

This custom in the ISL has led to several footballers in the nation shifting clubs, each season. While some leave in search of more playing time, others follow the whopping sums offered by competing clubs.

In its six years of existence, the ISL has witnessed a major chunk of Indian players plying their trade for multiple clubs. Having said that, only a handful of players have represented four clubs or more during their ISL careers. In this article, we look at five such players who have played for the most number of clubs in ISL history.

(Note: Players with the same number of clubs are ordered based on the total number of matches played)

#5 Seiminlen Doungel - 4 clubs/64 matches

Seiminlen Doungel started his ISL career with NorthEast United FC in 2014. After featuring in 9 matches for the Highlanders in the first edition. The winger endured a dismal season and failed to score a goal in 7 games for NorthEast United FC.

The winger then signed for the Delhi Dynamos in 2015 before returning to the Highlanders in 2017. In the following campaign, he joined Kerala Blasters and played 18 matches for them before switching over to FC Goa for the 2019/20 season.

The 26-year-old has played 64 games in the ISL, donning the colours of NorthEast United FC, Delhi Dynamos, Kerala Blasters and FC Goa.

#4 Jackichand Singh - 4 clubs/73 matches

Jackichand Singh began his football career with Royal Wahingdoh before a move to Pune City FC materialized in 2015. After scoring one goal from 9 matches, he shifted base to Mumbai City FC for the 2016 term.

The winger then signed for Kerala Blasters before the 2017-18 campaign in search of more playing time. At the Kochi-based outfit, the Indian recorded 2 goals from 17 matches.

FC Goa secured Jackichand Singh's signature after his breakthrough season and he quickly adapted to Sergio Lobera's brand of football, establishing himself as a regular at FC Goa in the process. In his spell at the club, has scored 9 goals in 39 games.

Jackichand's ISL profile includes Pune City FC, Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters and FC Goa so far. And, if reports are to be believed, he might add Jamshedpur FC to that list very soon.

#3 Souvik Chakrabarti - 4 clubs/81 matches

Souvik Chakrabarti has been a part of 4 different ISL clubs during his career. The former Mohun Bagan defender has played a total of 81 ISL matches for those clubs.

The full-back played the first two seasons of the competition at the Delhi Dynamos and registered 35 appearances during that period.

After playing a crucial role at the back for Delhi, he signed for Jamshedpur FC. Souvik was a regular for the Red Miners and featured in all their group games during the 2017-18 season. For the next edition, he joined Mumbai City FC and morphed into a constant fixture for the Islanders, playing 18 matches across the campaign.

Though the 28-year-old began the 2019/20 season with Mumbai City FC, he moved to Hyderabad FC in the winter transfer window in 2020. Souvik has represented the southern outfit thrice, post his move.

#2 Robin Singh - 5 clubs

Robin Singh is the only player on the list who is currently not associated with the ISL. The former India international played his first season in the ISL with Delhi Dynamos in 2015. He scored 4 goals in 13 matches before moving to FC Goa for the next term.

With the Gaurs, he endured a below-par spell and made the net bulge only once across 10 matches. ATK signed Robin Singh for the 2017/18 season and he appeared for the reigning ISL champions 11 times, scoring one goal in the process.

The striker continued his journey, representing Pune City FC for the 2018/19 campaign. He netted 4 times in 16 games before the club was dissolved in 2019.

Inevitably, Robin moved again and he followed most of his teammates to Hyderabad FC, making the latter his fifth ISL club. The 29-year-old was loaned out to I-League club Real Kashmir in January 2020 after failing to sparkle up front for Hyderabad FC.

#1 Subhasish Roy Chowdhury - 6 clubs

There is no other player in the ISL who has switched clubs as many times as Subhasish Roy Chowdhury. The goalkeeper played 8 matches for ATK in the first season of the ISL. He then signed for the Delhi Dynamos in the 2015 season but could make only a solitary appearance due to injury.

Subsequently, he joined FC Goa for the next term and played 4 matches. The keeper's next destination was Kerala Blasters, where he played 7 games and was the second-choice goalkeeper to Paul Rachubka.

For the next campaign, Subhasish signed for Jamshedpur FC but featured only intermittently, despite three consecutive starts at the outset. The 33-year-old then moved to NorthEast United for the 2019/20 season and played 15 matches in the process - the most for any single club in his six-year ISL career.

Subhasish has reportedly signed a contract extension with the Highlanders, meaning that he would stay at a club for two consecutive seasons for the first time in his career.

Edited by Shashwat Kumar