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Adrian Luna, the midfielder with a sprinkle of magic dust in his boots, will don the celebrated No. 10 jersey at Kerala Blasters FC for the upcoming 2023-24 season, the club confirmed on Sunday.
The decision comes after Harmanjot Singh Khabra, the previous holder of the squad number, parted ways with the Blasters earlier in the month. The 34-year-old has joined his former club East Bengal FC on a year-long deal.
The Yellow Army announced Luna, who previously wore No. 20, as their new No. 10 in a video posted on their official social media handle, captioned:
"A new heir to Number 10".
In football, the No. 10 has special significance with most clubs across the globe handing it out to their most creative players. The likes of Pele, Diego Armando Maradona, and Lionel Messi have further propagated the mythical status.
Luna, with his exploits in the previous seasons, has established himself as a true contender for the No. 10 jersey. The club will now hope for the Uruguayan to amplify the emotions associated with the decision.
Looking back at Adrian Luna's stint with the Kerala Blasters FC
Adrian Luna joined the Blasters in the summer of 2021 from the then-defending champions of the A-League - Melbourne City FC. Expectedly, there were a lot of expectations weighted on the creative midfielder's shoulders immediately.
He made an instantaneous impact on the squad in his debut season, scoring six goals and assisting seven times in 23 ISL appearances, as he lead the Kerala Blasters to the finals of ISL 2021-22.
Although the Blasters eventually lost on penalties to Hyderabad FC, Luna had proven himself as the talisman under Ivan Vukomanovic.
The following season, the 31-year-old continued his blistering form, pumping four goals and registering six assists in the league stages. Within a short span, Luna established himself as one of the leaders at the club and was awarded the captain's armband.
Kerala Blasters now enlisting him as their No. 10 shows the kind of impact and image Luna has at the club. It will be up to the former RCD Espanyol midfielder to live up to the expectations of the Yellow Army.
