I-League 2017/18: East Bengal reportedly release Goan duo Richard Costa and Gabriel Fernandes 

What’s the story?

Kolkata giants East Bengal have released the Goan duo of Richard Costa and Gabriel Fernandes if reports are to be believed. Apparently, Richard has already signed for his previous club Churchill Brothers while Fernandes is a free agent now.

In case you didn’t know…

Costa started out his career at Churchill Brothers and stayed there before he shifted base to Kolkata. He made his I-League debut for Churchill in a match against ONGC back in 2012. Fernandes, on the other hand, began his career at Sporting Clube de Goa before joining Mumbai. He made his I-League debut in 2012 against Pailan Arrows at the Salt Lake Stadium.

The heart of the matter

In a desperate attempt to keep the core of the team strong, coach Khalid Jamil brought in Costa and Fernandes before the start of last season’s Calcutta Football League. Costa, who is a midfielder, was one of the two players brought in from Churchill Brothers while Fernandes was signed from Bengaluru FC.

They were primarily brought in so as to provide adequate backup in case any player departed for the cash-rich Indian Super League (ISL).

However, neither player has featured for the club in a single match this season in the I-League and have been released.

What’s next?

East Bengal will face Aizawl in the I-League on Tuesday, 16th January, 2018, as they look to reclaim their top spot in the league table.

Author’s take

That Khalid Jamil is releasing some of the fringe players might be an indication that he is making room for new signings. They are in a good position to win the league title and a couple of new signings will definitely bolster their confidence at this stage.

As for Costa and Fernandes, this is an opportunity to get more first-team football at the highest level.