Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: FC Goa has signed an agreement with defender Sandesh Jhingan to join the club on a free transfer next season. The Goan club was looking for an experienced central defender to replace Anwar Ali, who has agreed a deal with ATK Mohun Bagan beginning next season. Numerous names were explored at first, but when Jhingan, who is currently with Bengaluru FC, became available, Goa promptly closed the deal.
The formal documentation will be finalised after the Super Cup, according to sources. Jhingan currently has a one-year deal with Bengaluru that expires at the end of the season. He was negotiating an extension with the ISL finalists, but insiders stated the talks were going too long and neither party could reach an agreement. The Goa government stepped in and won the battle to recruit the India defender.
Jhingan, 29, was a key player for Bengaluru this season. He appeared in 22 of the team’s 24 games in the Indian Super League (ISL) this season, including the final, which they lost in a tiebreaker to his previous side, ATK Mohun Bagan. If Jhingan makes the move to Goa as planned, he will take Anwar’s spot. In addition, Jhingan and Anwar are the national team’s first-choice central defenders under coach Igor Stimac.
Over the last two seasons, Anwar has been an integral part of the team as one of Goa’s two central defenders, and the team will now hope that Jhingan can easily replace that vacuum. After Jhingan left Kerala Blasters and became a free agent in 2020, Goa attempted to entice him. The defender met with then-coach Juan Ferrando, and the club even produced a presentation to demonstrate him that, contrary to common belief, he was excellent enough with the ball at his feet to fit Goa’s style.
