Anwar Ali: Indian defender joins East Bengal FC after one year loan spell with Mohun Bagan Super Giant
Synopsis
The central defender joined MBSG on loan from Delhi FC last season and played a key role in the Mariners winning the league title. The 23-year-old also helped the Kolkata giants reach the final of the ISL Cup where they were beaten 3-1 by Mumbai City FC.
After much drama and speculation, India defender Anwar Ali is now an Emami East Bengal FC player. The former Delhi FC defender spent the last season on loan with Mohun Bagan Super Giant. According to KhelNow, East Bengal has paid INR 2.5 crores as a transfer fee to Delhi FC. The 23-year-old has reportedly signed a five-year deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2028-29 season.
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The controversy started when Anwar Ali terminated his four-year loan agreement with MBSG unilaterally just one year into that contract. This action sparked a legal battle, with the Marines asserting their right over the player based on the signed agreement, while Anwar sought No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the AIFF's Players' Status Committee (PSC) to facilitate his move away from MBSG.
The Player Status Committee gave NOC to the India international for his reintegration back to Delhi FC and will hear all parties again on August 22 to give the final order in the case.
Anwar joined MBSG on loan last season and played a key role in the Mariners wining the league title. The defender also helped the Kolkata giants reach the final of the ISL Cup where they were beaten 3-1 by Mumbai City FC. The 23-year-old made 26 appearances and scored three goals for MBSG across all competitions last season.
The central defender rose to lime light with his performances for the India U-17 team in the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India back in 2017. The ball-playing defender made his senior team debut in March 2022 and went on to earn 18 international caps, scoring one goal. He is undoubtedly one of the best defenders the country has right now and with his arrival, EBFC are looking like a genuine title-contenders for the ISL 2024-25 season.
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