ISL: ATK Mohun Bagan FC sign Sandesh Jhingan on five-year deal

Kolkata: Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan has signed a five-year contract with ATK Mohun Bagan FC, the club announced on Saturday (September 26). 

Jhingan spent six years with Kerala Blasters FC before mutually parting ways with the club in May. After missing the whole of last season due to an injury, the defender will be eager to get on the pitch with the Kolkata giants.

The 27-year-old defender began his professional career with I-League second division side United Sikkim in 2011-12. With the inception of the Indian Super League (ISL), Jhingan was drafted into Kerala Blasters FC for the first season and was adjudged the Emerging Player of the League in the first edition of the league.

After an underwhelming 2015 campaign, Jhingan led the Kochi-based club to the ISL 2016 final, losing to the erstwhile ATK FC for the second time in three seasons. After being named the skipper for the 2017-18 campaign, he was a rock at the back for Kerala, conceding only 22 goals the whole season while losing just five matches.

The towering defender was unable to replicate a similar form during the 2018-19 season. He missed the 2019-20 season due to an ACL injury, as Kerala went on to concede 32 goals and finished seventh in the league standings.

ATK Mohun Bagan have recruited a plethora of talents for the upcoming ISL season. The addition of Tiri from Jamshedpur, Carl McHugh and Subhasish Bose from Mumbai City FC is sure to add depth to the defence which will also feature Pritam Kotal and Sumit Rathi.