Atletico de Kolkata are all set to make Debjit Majumder the highest earning Indian goalkeeper ever as the defending ISL champions go about building their squad for the next season.
Majumder, who has been part of India’s national team in the recent past, will be earning Rs 1.3 crores per year according to the new terms of a multi-year contract if reports are to be believed.
The 29-year-old will join from Mohun Bagan, whose status as an I-League club means the transfer was inevitable, given the riches of the ISL clubs.
Majumder helped ATK to the ISL 3 title last season and also played a prominent role in Bagan’s recent domestic successes. Although he isn’t exactly a new signing, his retention means ATK have their goalkeeping department sorted for the foreseeable future. He was among the top goalkeepers in the ISL last season alongside NorthEast United's Subrata Pal and Pune City's Edel Bete.
With the number of foreign players in a starting eleven set to come down to five in the ISL next season, the demand for goalkeepers has skyrocketed, leading to the likes of Majumder pocketing handsome sums. Earlier in the week, Mumbai City snapped up goalkeeper Amrinder Singh in a deal that will see him earn roughly Rs 1.2 crores a season.
Habas to stay on for another season at Pune City
In other news, FC Pune City are likely to retain their ISL-winning head coach Antonio Habas for the upcoming 2017/18 campaign.
Habas led the Orange-Purples to a disappointing sixth place finish in his first season at the Balewadi Stadium, but his record in the popular franchise league meant he remains a wanted man inside Pune City’s corridors.
The Spaniard guided ATK to the ISL title in the competition’s first season before leading the Kolkata outfit to the semifinals in the second season.
With his future all but secure at Pune City, Habas will become the only head coach in the ISL to take charge of a team for four successive seasons.
Highlanders keen to retain key duo
Elsewhere, NorthEast United have been slow off the blocks as far as getting deals done is concerned, but the Highlanders have set their sights on retaining the duo of goalkeeper TP Rehenesh and midfield enforcer Rowllin Borges for the 2017/18 season. Both players had indifferent campaigns with East Bengal in the 2016/17 I-League, particularly Rehenesh, who had a fallout with the club's fans in the middle of a turbulent season for the Red and Golds.
Borges, meanwhile, is a mainstay in Stephen Constantine's national setup and was one of the few bright sparks at NorthEast last season as the club finished fifth, narrowly missing out on a playoff place.
Keeping both Rehenesh and Borges will be a coup for the John Abraham-owned side, who are also actively seeking a replacement for their outgoing striker Nicolas Velez. It is believed that Borges has already declined NorthEast's advances owing to the player's want of improved terms, but negotiations are far from folding and the club are confident of keeping their key midfielder for the upcoming season.
