The Club has reached an agreement for the transfer of Sahal Abdul Samad in exchange for a player and an undisclosed transfer fee.
— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) July 14, 2023
It’s with a heavy heart that the Club bids adieu to Sahal, and we wish him the best in his journey ahead.#KBFC #KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/8iYot2fFcQ
“It’s with a heavy heart that the Club bids adieu to Sahal, and we wish him the best in his journey ahead.” From 30 International appearances, Sahal has three goals to his name and won the Intercontinental Cup once and SAFF Championship twice.
Mohun Bagan has been highly engaged in the transfer market, and Sahal Abdul Samad now joins them as their third Indian international signing, following Anirudh Thapa and Anwar Ali.
Additionally, the team has secured the services of Jason Cummings, a victorious player in the A-League for Australia, as well as Albanian forward Armando Sadiku. Pritam Kotal, who has signed a three-year contract with the Kerala Blasters, is the first prominent player to depart from the Mohun Bagan squad.
കലൂരിൽ പുലിയിറങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു 🐅💛
— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) July 14, 2023
Join us in welcoming our latest addition, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑, Pritam Kotal! 🔥👊#KBFC #KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/71Fv3TZgZa
Sahal Abdul Samad initially joined Kerala Blasters in 2017 and quickly rose through the ranks, starting with the reserve team. He made his debut in the Indian Super League during the 2017-18 season with the Blasters, and his breakthrough came in the following season, 2018-19, where he impressed and was honored with the ISL Emerging Player of the Season award.
His notable performances not only earned him recognition at the club level but also led to a call-up to the national team, culminating in his debut at the 2019 King's Cup in Thailand. Sahal was further recognized for his talent by receiving the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award. However, in the 2019-20 ISL season under Eelco Schattorie, Sahal had limited game time, featuring in all 18 matches for Kerala Blasters but mostly coming off the bench.
Despite this, Sahal signed a contract extension with the Blasters and went on to make 14 appearances, contributing three assists in the 2020-21 ISL season. In total, he has played 20 matches for KBFC, scoring three goals and providing two assists.
On the other hand, Pritam Kotal, a seasoned player at Mohun Bagan since 2014, has achieved success with the Mariners, winning the I-League in 2015 and the Federation Cup in 2016. His departure leaves a void in the team, and it remains to be seen how the Juan Ferrando-coached side will address this gap.
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