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Last season’s I-League runners-up East Bengal have completed the signing of talented young footballer Abhijit Sarkar for the upcoming 2019-20 season. The 19-year-old will be joining on a year-long loan from Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC. He has been the sixth signing this summer for the Red and Golds.
The signing has been made on the line of East Bengal’s coach Alejandro Menendez’s vision of promoting young talents of the country. The Red and Golds have earlier signed youngsters like Naorem Tondonba Singh from NEROCA FC and Pintu Mahata from Mohun Bagan. Though he is striker, Abhijit can also play as a withdrawal striker and also as an attacking midfielder.
Sarkar was an integral part of India’s U-17 World Cup team and had started two matches for the side. He came short of creating history of becoming India’s first goal-scorer in a World Cup match when his effort from an acute angle was saved by the goalkeeper in the match against Colombia.
Although he started the next two matches in the World Cup, he failed to put the ball into the back of the net.
Sarkar, who hails from Bandel in West Bengal, became the top goal-scorer for Indian Arrows in the 2017-18 season. He scored four goals out of 15 appearances. His most notable performance came against Churchill Brothers when he scored two goals within a few minutes to win the match single-handedly for his side.
Chennaiyin FC signed him last year but immediately released him on loan to his former side. Abhijit played only six matches last season and scored one goal, which came in the match against Mohun Bagan this year.
Sarkar, who has now fulfilled his dream of playing one of the big clubs in the city, will be waiting to show his talent in the very first impression. East Bengal will start their season with a match against Army Red in the Durand Cup competition on August 3.
