ISL 2022-23: Odisha FC rope in midfielder Raynier Fernandes on loan from Mumbai City FC

Odisha FC has signed the services of midfielder Raynier Fernandes on loan from Mumbai City FC ahead of the ninth season of the Hero Indian Super League, the club announced on Sunday in a statement. Fernandes becomes Odisha’s sixth signing of the summer as the club is looking to build a new team under the tutelage of new head coach Josep Gombau.

“We are very happy that Raynier has decided to join us this season. The club would like to welcome him and wish him the best for the upcoming season,” the club statement on its official website read.

Meanwhile, Raynier Fernandes played 76 matches for Mumbai City FC and he also played an instrumental role in taking the Islanders to glory in the 2020-21 season. Furthermore, the midfielder has made five appearances for the Blue Tigers in his career.

Fernandes started off his football career with Air India before playing for Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy. The 26-year-old had also impressed while playing for Mohun Bagan in the 2017-18 season.

Subsequently, he made a move to Mumbai City FC and impressed with his game in the midfield.

“Football has been there in my life since I was in the third grade,” Fernandes stated in an interview with Goal. “I played at school level at Our Lady of Salvation in Dadar. My brother (Royston) who is six years elder than me was also a football player and when I got to the fifth grade, he played in the first team of Kenkre FC. Looking at his interest, I got encouraged to take the sport seriously.”

​​”I changed my school and went to Don Bosco, Matunga in the seventh grade because at Salvation the level [of football] was not as high as it was in Bosco’s. From there, everything went well and we won many championships at the school level. Then I went to MMK (Shrimati Mithibai Motiram Kundani) college in Bandra where I played hockey and football but my main choice was always football.

Fernandes had made his International debut against Curacao in the 2019 Kings Cup.

“When you play the first game for your country, you have to play like it’s your chance to prove that you are worthy to be in the Indian national team and the experience I got down the road taught me that you have to just enjoy the game and play,” Raynier summed up.

On the other hand, Odisha FC finished at seventh position in Hero ISL 2021-22 standings with six wins and a total of 23 points in their 20 league stage matches. Thus, they failed to qualify for the semifinal stages and they will be determined to turn the tables in the next season.