East Bengal FC rope in winger Nandhakumar Sekar on three-year contract

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) East Bengal FC on Saturday announced that they have signed winger Nandhakumar Sekar on a three-year contract.

Sekar had a phenomenal run with Odisha FC last season, playing a vital role in their maiden Super Cup triumph, their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) playoff qualification and their first-ever entry into the AFC Cup.

"We are very excited to welcome Nandha to the Emami East Bengal family. He had a stellar performance last season and we are confident he will reach even greater heights under the watchful guidance of Coach Carles and his staff," said Debabrata Mukherjee of Emami Group on Nandha's recruitment.

East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat believes that Nandha's addition will bolster his team's attacking prowess.

"We are pleased to bring Nandhakumar on board. He is someone who has gradually improved over the years and is currently in the prime of his career. He was fantastic last season, in both ISL and the Super Cup, and played a massive role in Odisha FC's Super Cup victory. I am sure that he will add a lot of value to our attack," said Cuadrat.

The 27-year-old Sekar featured in 95 percent of Odisha's matches last season and finished with 15+ goal contributions, including 11 goals across all competitions. In the process, he became the third-highest Indian scorer in ISL 2022-23 and the leading Indian scorer in Hero Super Cup 2023.

The Salem-based winger registered six goals and one assist in 20 ISL matches last season as the Juggernauts secured a top-six finish and advanced into the playoffs for the first time since their inception. Nandha's stellar performance aptly earned him his maiden senior national team call-up for the ongoing Intercontinental Cup and the upcoming SAFF Championship.

For Sekar, who's ready to embark on his Kolkata sojourn, signing for East Bengal FC is a dream come true.

"Every footballer in the country dreams of playing for a big club like East Bengal. I am in that phase of my career where I want to embrace new challenges and take my game to the next level," said Sekar.

"I scored my first goal in professional football against East Bengal while playing for Chennai City FC in 2017. Now, as I have gotten a chance to represent this historic club, I want to give my best and help my team reach new heights. I can't wait to wear the Red & Gold jersey and feel the love of the fans," he added.

Having risen through the youth ranks of the Chennai-based outfit Hindustan Eagles, Nandha made his professional debut with Chennai City FC during the 2017-18 I-League. The following season, the talented winger joined the now-defunct Delhi Dynamos FC on a one-year loan deal before the franchise relocated its home base to Odisha.

During his five-year spell at Odisha FC between 2018 and 2023, Nandha scored 9 goals and made 7 assists in 73 ISL appearances.