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What's the story?
NorthEast United FC have completed the signing of winger Rupert Nongrum for the 2018/19 Indian Super League season. Nongrum played for ATK during the previous ISL campaign and will represent the Highlanders going into the fifth season of the league.
In case you didn't know...
21-year-old Nongrum was born in Meghalaya and has been playing football for a major part of his life.
The youngster signed his first professional contract with Shillong Lajong in 2015 after training in their youth academy previously. The pacy winger would go on to represent Lajong for two years, racking up more than twenty appearances.
A short loan in 2016 beckoned when Nongrum was brought in by ISL side Delhi Dynamos. The youngster made five appearances for the Dynamos during his debut ISL campaign. Nongrum's performances caught the eye of another ISL side, ATK, who brought him in for the 2017/18 league campaign.
The heart of the matter
NorthEast United announced, via Twitter, that they have completed the signing of winger Rupert Nongrum ahead of the 2018/19 Indian Super League campaign. The promising youngster joins an already talented NEUFC squad, which includes stars like Nikhil Kadam and Provat Lakra.
Nongrum already has a taste for ISL football, after his previous stints with league sides Delhi Dynamos and ATK. The youngster turned up thirteen times last season for ATK during their ISL campaign. However, he couldn't prevent the two-time champions from going through a terrible season.
The youngster has a lot of weapons in his arsenal and can prove to be a unique opportunity for NorthEast to exploit defences. Known for his pace, Nongrum is also very versatile and can play in two or three different positions. Once again, this can be of help to a struggling NorthEast United side, who are yet to finish in the playoff spot.
What's next?
The Highlanders will be hoping that this is the year that they break their playoff curse, and make it through to a top-four spot for the first time in the league's history. They have shopped in the transfer market accordingly and time will tell whether their new acquisitions can help them achieve their best ever finish or not.
Will the signing of Rupert Nongrum revitalize a struggling NorthEast United side? Do let us know in the comments below.
