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Kerala Blasters are set to bolster their squad with the addition of Real Kashmir midfielder Ritwik Das for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract. The unheralded 23-year old midfielder has been a regular fixture down the right-hand side for the Snow Leopards during their 2019/20 I-league campaign, registering as many as six starts and five substitute performances in the process.
A source close to Kerala Blasters said, "He is one of Kibu Vicuna's first main targets on the list he has submitted. They have been in touch with the agent for a while now, and have successfully struck a verbal deal on Tuesday. The deal will be announced soon."
The West Bengal born midfielder played for various clubs in Kolkata's local football scene before securing a contract in David Robertson's I-league squad. It is said that Das impressed incoming Kerala Blasters' coach Kibu Vicuna during their matches against Mohun Bagan.
Our source added, "Vicuna has been eyeing Ritwik for a while now, and there are more Indian players he's going to target. He wants to build a young team and surround them with experience foreigners."
Das will be immediate competition for Kerala Blasters' teammates such as Sahal Abdul Samad, who failed to garner much game time under Eelco Schattorie. Kibu Vicuna is also looking to add a cluster of I-league players to increase competition for the midfield and defensive positions, as Sportskeeda has learnt.
Das has been on the radar of several other I-League teams such as Mohun Bagan, but with Vicuna shifting loyalties to Blasters, it's likely Das will follow suit. He has played over 900 minutes for Real Kashmir, registering two assists in the process.
Kerala Blasters haven't been as active in the transfer market yet, waiting for the Indian lockdown to slowly come to a halt, before taking any decisions. It is likely that even Das' announcement might come after the lockdown, as per sources.
Das was also pivotal in Real Kashmir's promotion to I-League scoring four goals during that season.
