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Odisha FC were a revelation in the last edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). The side managed to cause a few major upsets along the way and had an improved conclusion to their campaign.
They beat Bengaluru FC at the start of the season, raising eyebrows early in the campaign. Victories against East Bengal and Mumbai City FC followed.
But the Juggernauts were unable to hold on to their momentum throughout the ISL season. Despite an improved performance, the Kalinga Warriors missed out on a top-four finish. Since then, the club have made major advancements in restructuring their squad for the upcoming edition of the ISL.
On that note, let's take a look at the three best signings for the Juggernauts going into the season:
#3 Raynier Fernandes
The Mumbai City FC midfielder, who joined Odisha FC on loan, will be a nice fit for Josep Gombau's side going into the 2022-23 season. Raynier Fernandes has tons of experience in Indian football and has been a part of trophy-winning clubs throughout his career.
Fernandes can be deployed as a winger as well as an advanced midfielder. He is creative by nature and has been in various types of setups in the past.
The Mumbai-born midfielder is adept at playing both possession-based as well as defensive/counter-attacking football. Raynier's inclusion in the Odisha FC setup guarantees stability in the midfield of the pitch along with a huge amount of ball progression. He can surely aid the side's further progress in the upcoming season.
#2 Amrinder Singh
The Juggernauts have been a party to a lot of high-scoring encounters in the past. In such fixtures, the club has also been on the receiving end, exposing the side's defensive frailties.
Similarly, the former ATK Mohun Bagan goalkeeper has had a poor run since leaving Mumbai City FC and and is yet get back into form.
Amrinder Singh captained the side that won the double under Sergio Lobera in the 2020-21 season. But with the Kolkata giants, the India international custodian was in indifferent shape, much to the surprise of many.
He will be eager to find his best form under Odisha's head coach and lead the Juggernauts from the back. His composure on the ball as the last line of defense will play a huge role in setting up the way Gombau expects his side to play.
#1 Saul Crespo
Born in Ponferrada, Saúl Crespo Prieto joined Odisha FC ahead of the 2022-23 season. A defensive midfielder by trait, the Spaniard can also be deployed as a makeshift center-back.
The 26-year-old midfielder was lured to the ISL outfit with an eye to providing the central defenders with more protection, especially during counter-attacks.
The defensive midfielder is known to shut down the central channel, forcing the opposition to choose a wider corridor to progress their attacks. He also adds numbers at the back to increase numerical superiority during build-ups. Saul Crespo can do just that for Odisha FC.
