Kerala Blasters Retains Nigeria Striker For One Season

Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters have managed to retain the services of two of their most influential players in the 2019-20 season.

Nigeria striker Bartholomew Ogbeche and Spanish Midfielder Sergio Cidoncha are the two players involved will stay with the Tiri for one more season.

The duo will be influential for the team with Cidoncha playing 13 leagues games this season although with a single goal scored and three assists made.

Bartholomew Ogbeche, on the other hand, scored 15 goals from 16 matches played from his striking position.

The Nigerian will be a big asset to Kerala Blasters having gathered India football experience in recent years featuring for NorthEast United two seasons ago where he first played in the ISL.

Eelco Schattorie brought Ogbeche to Kerala Blasters from his previous side, NorthEast United and I-League winning coach with Mohun Bagan, Kibu Vicuna expected to take over from next season at Kerala Blasters.

With the expected move of Vicuna to the side and Mohun Bagan’s merger with Atletico De Kolkota with the former expected to join up with the latter in the Indian Super League, some Mohun Bagan players are expected to join up with Blasters.

Two players that have been rumored to be on the verge of joining the team are Spaniards Fran Gonzalez and Joseba Beitia.

The team has managed to see through an injury-ravaged 2019-20 season with Ogbeche being one of the injury affected players.

Nongdamba Naorem will return to the Tiri after having to go on a loan spell other players linked to Kerala Blasters are Albino Homes, Denechandra Meetei, Sandeep Singh, Lalthathanga Khawlhring, and Rohit Kumar.

Kerala Blasters finished seventh on the India Super League table with 19 points from 18 games played scoring 29 goals and conceded 32 goals in the process.

Written by Daniel Ademiju Idowu