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I-League giants East Bengal FC are set to rope full-back Novin Gurung from Real Kashmir, Sportskeeda has learnt. The deal has almost been finalized with final paperwork remaining.
Gurung made his professional debut with Shillong Lajong in 2017 in the I-League. In the 2017-18 season, he established himself as a regular as he made 19 appearances for the club, combining the Super Cup and I-League.cIn the next season, he earned 18 caps for Shillong Lajong in I-League. Although the club got relegated, he impressed himself enough to bag a move to Real Kashmir.
Gurung has made 11 appearances for the Snow Leopards this season and helped them keep four clean sheets. He is comfortable operating as both a right-back or a left-back. Like most of the modern full-backs, he also loves to overlap and swing in crosses. Having already established himself as a regular in I-League over three seasons for two clubs at the ripe age of 21, a move to a big club like East Bengal for Gurung will bolster his career.
East Bengal, on the other hand, are still uncertain whether they will participate in I-League or ISL the next season. The club roped in Quess Corporation, primarily to help with the finances and play in the more lucrative league. But, their management decided otherwise and stuck with the team participating in I-League.
East Bengal's contract with Quess Corporation ends on May 31, 2020, and the latter has made it clear that they will not extend their partnership. With their arch-rivals Mohun Bagan merging with the ISL club from Kolkata, ATK, pressure has been mounting on the Red and Golds to make the move.
For that, East Bengal would need sponsors that can give the ISL organizers bank insurance and pay them a hefty franchise fee. While there is no word on sponsors yet, the fans can keep themselves content with the signing of Novin Gurung.
