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Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters have signed Samuel Lyngdoh Kynshi, Kenstar Kharshong, and Naorem Mahesh Singh on loan from Shillong Lajong to play for their reserve team in the I-League Second Division for the remainder of the season.
The trio were a part of the Meghalaya-based outfit which participated in last season's I-League but got relegated after the team ended their campaign with just 11 points from 20 matches.
Samuel Lyngdoh Kynshi (19) primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and scored his first I-League goal in the 2017-18 season when he was just 17. The youngster also made it to India's AFC U-23 probable squad that played a friendly match against Qatar U-23 team.
He was also a part of the title-winning I-League U18 squad in 2017. Across the two seasons in I-League, he has netted six goals in 24 appearances for Shillong Lajong. Kynshi was also a part of the Shillong Lajong unit that clinched the Shillong Premier League (SPL) and Mizoram Premier League (MPL) crown this season.
Kenstar Kharshong (20), meanwhile, bagged the best defender of the SPL award this season while captaining his team. Apart from winning the I-League U18 in 2017, the centre-back has 30 I-League appearances to his name for the senior team in the last two seasons.
Naorem Mahesh Singh (20), on the other hand, is a striker and played all the 20 matches for Shillong Lajong in the last season's I-League. The Manipuri centre-forward scored four goals and bagged three assists before turning out for Shillong Lajong. Combining the SPL and MPL, Mahesh scored 12 goals and bagged 14 assists this season.
Kerala Blasters' reserve team acts as a brilliant bridge for players to step up to their senior team, with Sahal Abdul Samad, Jeakson Singh, and Mohammad Rakip being prime examples of it.
Kerala Blasters' reserve team are placed in Group C of the competition alongside ARA FC from Ahmedabad, FC Bengaluru United, FC Kerala, and the B team of Mumbai City FC and FC Goa. If the youngsters are able to impress the management, they might be promoted to the first team in next season.
