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Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) have acquired the services of young winger Saurav Mandal from Churchill Brothers FC, the Indian Super League 2021-22 season runners-up announced on Tuesday, June 28.
The 21-year-old signed for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract that keeps him at the club until 2025.
During his time with the Red Machines, the pacey wide player showed a lot of promise in the I-League. Although he still has a few rough edges, Saurav went on to become a pivotal piece of the attacking puzzle at Churchill Brothers. He bagged 14 appearances for the club, chipping in with a goal and two assists last season.
Saurav Mandal is Kerala Blasters FC's second signing of the season so far
In a press release, the young midfielder expressed his elation at joining the Blasters.
"I’m very happy to be a part of Kerala Blasters. It’s a dream come true for me that I’ll be representing the biggest club in the country. I’ll be sharing the dressing room with top players from the country and I’m keen to learn from them." Saurav said.
The Jalandhar-born player started his professional career with Rainbow FC before joining the ATK Reserves side on a short stint. Saurav made his way into the I-League in 2020 after signing with the Churchill Brothers.
Meanwhile, Saurav is KBFC’s second signing of the summer after the Yellow Army announced the arrival of Bryce Miranda last week. The 22-year-old has the ability to slot in multiple roles in the forward position and the addition of Saurav will further strengthen Kerala's attacking depth. Ivan Vukomanovic's side have added some capable youngsters to bolster their already-stacked squad.
Speaking about the Blasters' second signing of the summer, Sporting Director Karolis Skinkys was quoted as saying in the press release:
“I would like to congratulate Saurav about this opportunity. A lot of hard work still awaits as he needs to learn and handle new things in ISL. I wish him all the best for the upcoming years in our club."
