Odisha FC sign Puitea for a club-record transfer fee

Odisha FC have acquired the services of Lalthathanga 'Puitea' Khawlhring on a three-year deal from Mohun Bagan Supergiant for an undisclosed transfer fee, the club announced on Wednesday, August 2. The statement claimed the transfer fee is reportedly the highest the club has ever paid for a player.

Having won the Indian Super League title with Mohun Bagan Supergiant (then known as ATK Mohun Bagan) last season by beating Bengaluru FC in the final, Puitea will bring a wealth of experience to the Kalinga Stadium. He is expected to marshal the Juggernauts'midfield and provide them with a lot of solidity going into the season.

The club tweeted the following:

The Mizoram-born midfielder played in the Mizoram Premier League before moving to the DSK Shivajians Academy in Pune, Maharashtra. Puitea was awarded the 'Best Midfielder' in the Mizoram Premier League for the 2015-16 season.

Puitea has played for three major ISL clubs in the past

Having been signed by NorthEast United ahead of the 2017 season, a lot was expected from Puitea. He was loaned out to Aizawl FC right away, where he became a mainstay in their midfield over the season. Puitea brought back experience when he returned to Guwahati for the next couple of seasons.

Kerala Blasters were interested in the midfielder and soon acquired him ahead of the 2020 season. He made a total of 36 appearances at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, bagging a solitary goal. Puitea lent a lot of solidity to the Blasters' midfield and they will have been disappointed to see him depart for Kolkata ahead of the 2022-23 season.

However, he did not quite find game time easy to come for Mohun Bagan and ended with just eight appearances at the end of the season. Puitea's performances in those showings had, nonetheless, caught the eye of scouts across the Indian Super League. It was only a matter of time before an offer from any of the Mariners' rivals materialized.

Odisha FC were the first to bite the bullet and offered a transfer sum that Mohun Bagan were only too willing to accept. Newly-appointed manager Sergio Lobera will be glad to add the 25-year-old to the centre of the park, which will allow the others in the team to breathe freely and attack with more precision.

Puitea's ball-playing skills have often won him accolades. However, he will not be a part of Odisha FC's squad for the Durand Cup, as the club have decided to field their reserves side for the said competition.