Kolkata: Former ISL champions Chennaiyan FC on Tuesday completed the signing of former AZ Alkmaar winger Gregory Nelson for the fourth edition of the tournament.
On joining Chennaiyin FC, the Dutch winger said, “I would like to thank the club Chennaiyin FC and coach John Gregory for believing in me. Lot of my friends from Dutch football have played in the ISL and have given me positive feedback. Football in India is growing and I am really looking forward to be a part of it and of course help Chennaiyin win back the championship.”
A youth product of AZ Alkmaar, Nelson mainly plied his trade with CSKA Sofia and Ukrainian club FC Metalurh Donetsk, making 37 appearances for the former and scoring five goals. The 29-year-old also made 81 appearances for Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League, while also scoring six goals in the process.
He last played for Bahranian powerhouse Al Muharraq mainly in the AFC cup and was a free agent before joining the former ISL champions.
Happy with his new signing, head coach of the club John Gregory said, “Nelson is a highly accomplished player with a fantastic CV. He will add plenty of quality and variety to our attack. After a very good career in Europe he recently had a very impressive season in Bahrain and looks very well equipped to flourish in the Indian Super League.”
Meanwhile, last year’s semi-finalists Delhi Dynamos made two more new overseas signings in Spanish full-back Edu Moya and Dutch forward Guyon Fernandez.
The 31-year-old Guyon joins Delhi after competing his second stint with Dutch Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag. He also played for clubs like Feyernwood, NAC Breda and Excelsior in the top division of the Dutch league.
Edu Moya on the other hand, played for top La Liga clubs like Mallorca, Celta Vigo and Hercules in Spain before leaving for Bolivar, which is the best club in Bolivia. The defender has also made more than 3000 appearances in club football and will look to add all his experience in the Delhi setup.
FC Pune City completed the signing of Argentine playmaker Robertino Pugliara. The 33-year-old, who has spent most of his football career in the Indonesian league, has played for various clubs in Asia. His most notable performance came with Persija Jakarta between 2011-2013. He made 60 appearances for them while also scoring 10 goals.
Defending ISL champions ATK, not the ones to be left behind signed Finnish striker Njazi Kuqi for the upcoming season. The Finland international has been a wanderer having played for so may clubs in his career.
Excited in joining his new club, Kuqi said, “I am thrilled to see so many followers of football especially in Kolkata where the game is closest to a religion. I am happy to be associated with a champion team like ATK. My learning graph will only rise with this league. I just hope to give my best.”