“I’m very confident that Bartholomew Ogbeche will be with us” – Hyderabad FC co-owner Varun Tripuraneni

A month after their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) triumph, Hyderabad FC co-owner Varun Tripuraneni has hinted at the retention of ace Nigerian striker Bartholomew Ogbeche.

A seasoned campaigner, the 37-year-old struck a staggering 18 goals in 20 appearances to win his maiden ISL Golden Boot award and help Manolo Marquez and Co. lift the coveted trophy.

The development comes amid rumors that several ISL teams, including Kolkata heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, are desperate to acquire Ogbeche’s services for the upcoming season.

Mr. Tripuraneni, who is aware that Ogbeche is in demand, refuses to throw in the towel just yet. Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, the former Kerala Blasters FC CEO revealed:

“Bart is one player we would definitely like to retain for the upcoming season. He’s an incredible professional and has gotten better with age. I know that most of the clubs want him, but let’s see how things go.”

Ogbeche is the ISL’s all-time leading scorer with 53 goals in 73 matches. He netted a brace in Hyderabad FC's 5-0 drubbing of Northeast United FC to achieve the feat on January 31, surpassing Indian captain Sunil Chhetri and former FC Goa marksman Ferran Corominas in the process.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward was in lethal form throughout the season, ripping apart opposition defenses and turning heads with his incredible poaching skills. His impact on the Nizams' dream run could be gaged by the fact that his nearest Golden Boot rivals, Mumbai City FC’s Igor Angulo and Jamshedpur FC’s Greg Stewart, finished the season with eight fewer goals.

Ogbeche began his Indian sojourn with Northeast United FC, for whom he scored 12 goals in the 2018-19 season. He jumped ship to Kerala Blasters FC the following season and netted 15 goals to finish as the league's joint-top scorer with Nerijus Valskis and Roy Krishna. His successful foray into Indian football earned him a lucrative deal with Mumbai City FC for the 2020-21 season. Despite playing second fiddle to Adam Le Fondre, Ogbeche managed to register eight goals and played a crucial part in the Islanders’ double-winning (League Winners Shield and Cup) campaign.

However, limited game time at Mumbai City FC forced Ogbeche to consider a switch ahead of the 2021-22 season. So, when Hyderabad FC approached him with a one-year deal in July last year, the former World Cupper accepted their offer sans any inhibition. What a move it turned out to be, proving a win-win situation for both parties.

When asked if the HFC faithful can expect Ogbeche to extend his association with the Nizams, Mr. Tripuraneni beamed with confidence and said:

“I’m very confident that Bart will be with us. He was a crucial part of the team last season and enjoyed his time with the squad. He’s as positive as any other player in the group. I’m sure he’ll take the right decision. He’s very keen to stay.”

If Ogbeche does go on to ink a fresh deal with Hyderabad FC, it will be a major boost to their hopes of defending the ISL title.