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Indian Super League (ISL) side ATK have roped in centre-back Salam Ranjan Singh from I-League giants East Bengal. The two-time ISL champions officially announced the signing on social media on Saturday.
Salam Ranjan Singh hails from Manipur made his professional career debut with FC Pune in 2013. He was loaned out to Bengaluru FC in 2015/16 season. The 23-year old made his ISL debut with NorthEast United in 2016 but could only appear in two games for the Highlanders. In 2017, he was part of BFC again and then joined East Bengal. At the Kolkata club, he played 21 games but was a backup option to Borja Gomez Perez and Johnny Acosta in the defence.
Even with limited playing time at clubs, Salam Singh managed to find a spot in the national team during Stephen Constantine's days. The defender has played 11 matches in the Indian jersey. He was the only I-League player who was part of India's 23-man squad at the AFC Asian Cup in Thailand earlier this year.
Salam Ranjan Singh will be joining Anas Edathodika and Spanish defender Agustin Garcia Iniguez in ATK's backline. Irish defender Carl McHugh, too, will be a pillar at the back for the Kolkata outfit. The club will be looking for much-needed depth in the defence that they lacked in the previous season. It will be interesting to see if the manager opts to play Salam as a full-back, out of position.
The Bangla Brigade is aiming at repeating their heroics in the league from the previous seasons. The first change came in the form of Antonio Lopez Habas' return as the manager, replacing Steve Coppell. The management has done their part in the transfer market, striking some crucial deals. Dheeraj Singh will be appointed as the goalkeeper for ATK in the upcoming season. Dario Vidosic, Roy Krishna and David Williams will form crucial combinations in attack for Kolkata. Jobby Justin, Michael Soosairaj and Michael Regin are the notable Indian signings made by the club over the last few months.
With a balanced side and an experienced coach at the helm, the management would be aiming at nothing less than the ISL cup this season. It would now be vital for the Spanish gaffer to fulfil the entrusted duties.
