Sahal Abdul Samad says goodbye to Kerala Blasters after 5 years; joins Mohun Bagan as Pritam Kotal goes the other way

Kerala Blasters star boy Sahal Abdul Samad has parted ways with the Manjappada after spending five years in the Indian top-flight to join ATK Mohun Bagan, the club confirmed. The experienced campaigner Pritam Kotal will head the other way in a money-plus-swap deal.

The Kerala-based outfit have bagged INR 90 lakhs for the young midfielder and have also wrapped up the signing of the defender Pritam Kotal from the reigning ISL Champions in a money-plus swap deal, according to the Times of India reporter Marcus Mergulhao. Sahal will put pen to paper on a five-year deal to become one of the top earners in the league.

The 26-year-old, who has 10 goals and nine assists from 97 appearances since making his debut in 2018, was a prominent figure among the Kerala Blasters fans. The Manjappada army have felt letdown by allowing some of the influential players to leave the club in recent months.

Top contributors such as Sahal Abdul Samad, Prabhsukhan Gill, Ivan Kaliuzhyni, Harmanjot Khabra, and Jessel Carneiro have headed towards the exit door already.

As for retaining the core, Dimitrios Diamantakos and Hormipam Ruivah have extended their contracts over the summer transfer window until 2024 and 2027 respectively. While Pritam Kotal and Prabir Das have put pen to paper on a permanent deal, the yellow army confirmed the capture of Naocha Singh from Mumbai City FC on a season-long loan.

They will be hoping to bounce back on a positive note following a miserable end to their previous campaign which saw Ivan Vukomanovic's men walk away after a quick free-kick was taken by Sunil Chhetri during the playoffs.

That moment of lapse has cost the club INR 6 crores and the Kerala Blasters manager has been effectively banned for 10 games. It will be interesting to see the rebuild of the ISL outfit after losing key players, who had an effect on and off the field.