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Days before the 2022-23 season kicks off with the Durand Cup, Emami East Bengal have acquired the services of defender Lalchungnunga and utility player Sumeet Passi.
The Red and Gold Brigade, after getting new investors onboard, have been moving quickly to make the most of the summer transfer window. The two new signings come on top of the 13 domestic players announced on August 3.
Lalchungnunga will join the Torchbearers on a loan deal from the I-League side Sreenidi Deccan FC. The 21-year-old made 17 appearances last season and was also named to the I-League 2021-22 All-Star squad.
The youngster is a versatile defender and has plied his trade as a center-back and even a right-back. The Mizoram defender had previously played for Aizawl FC in the I-League but this will be his first ISL stint.
Meanwhile, Passi, 27, will bring versatility to the East Bengal squad. The Haryana-born will join the Red and Gold Brigade on a free transfer from RoundGlass Punjab FC, where he made 17 appearances in the I-League last season.
Sumeet had previously played in the ISL when he joined Jamshedpur FC in 2018. He went on to make 32 appearances for the Red Miners, scoring three goals. The former Indian Arrows forward has also played eight times for the Indian senior national team under Stephen Constantine.
Emami East Bengal's domestic squad taking shape steadily
Like the past few years, the Torchbearers were yet again late to the team-building party this year owing to the investor situation. However, once that was resolved, Emami East Bengal have brought in some able recruitments quickly.
Two of the biggest names acquired by the 103-year-old club will have to be Aniket Jadhav and VP Suhair.
The former Hyderabad FC forward was pivotal in his former club's title-winning run in the 2021-22 season. He appeared in 20 matches, snapping up two goals and three assists.
Meanwhile, NorthEast United FC's Suhair was the only bright spark in an otherwise dim season for the Highlanders. The Palakkad-born player made 19 appearances scoring four goals and two assists.
The squad has also attained a nice balance between youth and experience. However, the Red and Gold Brigade might need a few more experienced campaigners to be competitive in the league.
