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In the six years that the Indian Super League (ISL) has been in existence, several former English Premier League (EPL) stars have moved to India to play in the league.
With the likes of Elano, Tim Cahill, David James, Robbie Keane and Andre Santos having featured in the Indian top flight, the ISL seems to be one of the favourite destinations for former EPL stars.
In this article, we take a look at five former EPL players who will be playing in the Indian Super League (ISL) this season.
1) Steven Taylor (Odisha FC)
34-year-old Steven Taylor was among the first few overseas players to sign with an ISL club this season. The former Newcastle United center-back has played over a decade in the Premier League, making over 200 appearances before his transfer to the Portland Timbers in the United States.
Having signed from A-League outfit Wellington Phoenix, Taylor signed for Odisha FC at a time when the club is in desperate need of a quality center-back with good leadership experience. On paper, Taylor certainly fits the bill, but whether or not he can come good for Stuart Baxter's side remains to be seen.
2) Adam Le Fondre (Mumbai City FC)
Adam Le Fondre comes into the Indian Super League on the back of two phenomenal goal-scoring seasons with A-League side Sydney FC.
The 33-year old joined Reading ahead of the 2011-12 season and became almost an instant success at the club. His 12 goals from 32 games helped the club secure promotion into the Premier League for the 2012-13 season.
Although the Royals were relegated at the end of the season, Le Fondre had a decent outing, scoring 12 goals in the league and securing the Premier League Player of the Month award for January.
With Mumbai City FC coach Sergio Lobera preferring an attacking style of play, the 33-year-old will certainly have a pivotal role to play in the upcoming ISL season.
3) Gary Hooper (Kerala Blasters FC)
At one point in his career, Gary Hooper was among the names for Roy Hodgson's England squad. Hooper's quality was such that he was also the target of several Premier League clubs during his time at Celtic, a club where he managed to win back-to-back titles.
Hooper made the move from Celtic to Norwich City ahead of the 2013-14 season and was a regular in the club's starting XI for most of the season. However, he only managed a handful of goals as the Canaries were relegated to the Championship. Hooper would help Norwich back into the league before being transferred back into the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday.
4) Anthony Pilkington (SC East Bengal)
At the moment, there are a lot of expectations from Anthony Pilkington, who will play for SC East Bengal this season. The 32-year-old Republic of Ireland international was part of an impressive Norwich City side that played in the Premier League from 2011 to 2014 before they were relegated to the Championship.
Pilkington's record was especially good as he was a key element of the side that managed to survive relegation in their first two seasons. He managed a total of 75 appearances for the Canaries, netting 14 goals, before his subsequent transfers to Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic.
5) Daniel Fox (SC East Bengal)
For a six-foot defender, Daniel Fox is as solid as they come. The 34-year-old has played on two separate occasions in the Premier League with two different clubs. Fox's first taste of Premier League action came in the 2009-10 season with Burnley. However, after making just 14 appearances for the club, Burnley was relegated.
Fox then managed to help his new club Southampton secure promotion ahead of the 2012-13 campaign. He kept his place in the starting XI alongside the likes of Jose Fonte, Rickie Lambert and Morgan Schneiderlin.
