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The forthcoming edition of the Indian Super League is all set to kickstart in earnest on November 17. With two more teams added to the roster, ISL has promised fans a more electrifying battle between India's most professional football clubs.
The ISL, in the three years since its inception, has had a successful journey. From this year onwards, the popular franchise league will be an Asian Football Federation (AFC) recognized league than a mere football tournament.
Though the I-League is the elite football tournament of India, the AFC has promised the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that the winners of ISL will get an opportunity to represent the nation in the AFC Cup next year.
All the ten teams have been busy acquiring fatal weapons in their arsenal.The quality of the tournament has increased massively thus increasing the demand for quality players. Teams have expelled even the moderately rated overseas players but there is a high demand for the ISL's proven ones.
Teams like FC Pune City, Kerala Blasters and Delhi Dynamos have all gone for a reshuffle, while some like Jamshedpur FC have completely opted for proven players in the market. With the top men ISL has ever witnessed plying trade for different teams this season, Sportskeeda is tabulating the top five foreign signings who played at other ISL clubs last season.
#5 Emiliano Alfaro - NorthEast United to FC Pune City
Emiliano Alfaro was a consistent performer in the Indian Super League in the recent season. He was lethal and instrumental to the Highlanders attack, scoring five goals.
Throughout the 2016 campaign, he featured in 13 games for NorthEast United. Although they failed to enter the semi-finals, he was a reliable performer and was widely regarded as one of the best individual performers of ISL 2016.
His attacking vigour will now power FC Pune City's attack. He will ply his trade for the Pune-based franchise along with the Brazilian Marcelinho, giving them an edge that would likely result in their first ever playoffs' appearance in ISL 2017-18.
#4 Sameegh Doutie - ATK to Jamshedpur FC
The 28-year-old South African winger played an integral role for ATK and helped them reclaim Indian Super League last season.
Doutie's pace on the wings has always allotted balls to the attackers, thus helping the team score more goals. He made the fans elated with his style of game and was one of the best winger ISL has ever seen.
Since ATK have parted ways with their Spanish partner club Atletico Madrid, Doutie was no longer available for them. His splendid performance for ATK helped him secure a deal with ISL's new entrant Jamshedpur FC. It's obvious that we can see some fire on JFC's flanks.
#3 Kervens Belfort - Kerala Blasters to Jamshedpur FC
The Haitian international had a decent season with the Kochi-based outfit last season. An ordeal for defenders, Belfort often ran past them, making them look enervated in the process.
He featured in 15 games for the Blasters in 2016 and scored five goals. He was one of the most dangerous men Steve Coppell had. His momentous goals were a treat to watch and will be forever remembered by the Kerala Blasters faithful.
Belfort will now reunite with Coppell at Jamshedpur FC. It will be quite strange to see how ardent Kerala Blasters fans welcome him when he plies his trade for their arch-rivals Jamshedpur.
#2 Iain Hume - ATK to Kerala Blasters
Iain Edward Hume is one the ISL's best. The all-time top scorer of Indian Super League has always executed his best for the team.
A part of Indian Super League since its inception, Hume has featured for two teams with the most fans in India: Kerala Blasters and ATK.
Kerala Blasters signed Hume in the first season and the Canadian bolstered the club's fragile attack and played a key role in helping them reach the finals. For his vivid performance, he was also awarded the 'Hero Of The Tournament' that season.
He then made a move to Kerala's arch-rivals ATK after some dissent with the Blasters management. Hume helped the Kolkata outfit reach the semis of the second season and crown the third season. He scored 18 goals during his stint at ATK, thus increasing his goal tally to 23.
The 33-year-old has rejoined the Yellow Army this year, a moment for which their fans were waiting.
#1 Marcelo Leite Pereira - Delhi Dynamos to FC Pune City
The Brazilian Marcelinho Leite took ISL by storm the previous year. He, along with Florent Malouda, created one of the most lethal attacking team the ISL has ever seen.
Last season, Marcelinho featured in 14 games for Delhi Dynamos, scoring a whopping 10 goals. He devastated every single defense, launched attacks and piercing every rearguard.
Marcelinho was awarded the 'Golden Boot' after becoming the top scorer and those boots will now strive to pierce defences again but in FC Pune City's jersey.
