Gokulam Kerala all set to sign Bengal Santosh trophy defender Subhankar Adhikari ahead of their AFC Cup campaign

Reigning I-League champions Gokulam Kerala are all set to sign Bengal Santosh Trophy defender Subhankar Adhikari as reported by Khelnow. The 27-yar-old defender has impressed everyone with his consistent performances and hence had offers from several I-League clubs. Some reports suggest that even an Indian Super League team was also interested.

But Gokulam Kerala won the race for the 27-year-old defender who continues to feature for the Bengal team as they qualify for the semifinals and will take on Punjab in the battle of the last four in the Santosh Trophy.

Subhankar Adhikari has been in and around the Kolkata maidan for some time now. He started his career at Mohun Bagan, plying his trade for their U-18 team. He then joined Kerala FC and featured in their 2nd division league campaign making 10 appearances for the Kerala based outfit. Adhikari’s performances in defence caught the eyes of South United as they signed him for the following season. He made eight apperances for them before moving to Kolkata again. He joined George Telegraph and featured in the 2021 Calcutta Football League and his conistent performances saw him get a place in the Bengal Santosh Trophy team.

Adhikari is a sturdy defender who guides the team from the back and helps out his teammates during situations of need. At 27, Adhikari is fairly experienced. Although he has not featured in the I-League or even ISl for that matter so it will be a new level for him but his experience of playing the sport fo so many years will definitely have a part to play during his time at Gokulam.

The Malabarians will also feature in the AFC Cup this season. They are clubbed in a group that consists of Indian Super League outfit ATK Mohun Bagan, Bangladeshi outfit Bashundhara Kings  and Maldivian champions Maziya Sports and Recreation. .

The Kozhikode based outfit has been in tremendous in this year’s I-League as head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese is leaving no stone unturned to retain the crown and also launch a very successful AFC Cup campaign alongside it. The Malabarians are unbeaten in the I-League this season and are topping the points table with 10 wins and three draws from 13 matches.