Bengaluru FC strengthen defence for I-League and Asia with the signing of Sandesh Jhingan
BENGALURU FC HAVE just announced a high profile signing; they have secured the services of Indian international and star defender Sandesh Jhingan.
We're leaving teasers aside for this one. Bengaluru, @SandeshJhingan is a Blue! Report to follow. #WelcomeJhingan pic.twitter.com/RM7yCAHA3m
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) January 12, 2017
Hailing from Chandigarh, the tall and fiesty centre back started his club career at United Sikkim. Then after a season at Mumbai FC, found a new level of fame during his spell with Kerala Blasters at the ISL.
His good performance in the I-League had already gotten him selected for the Indian national team roster before the 2013 SAFF Championship, and represented India U-23 in the 2014 Asian Games. But it was his performance for KBFC in the inaugural ISL that made the most convincing case for his international debut, which he got in 2015 in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier match against Nepal. He's become an integral part of the national team ever since.
One of the most popular footballers in the country today, Jhingan proven himself both in ISL and I-League. In the course of his career, he has dealt with two major injury-related absences but recovered well and come back strong, and has insisted that despite chances of getting hurt he will not waver from his gutsy and almost reckless physical gameplay that intimidates opponent attackers.
His move to Bengaluru FC is significant in many ways. Not only does this make the defending champions' defence one of the strongest in the country, but for Jhingan personally this is a big leap. His club career has so far focused on the ISL with small loan spells in I-League, which has limited his reach as a player. Now at BFC, for the first time he can have a taste of continental club football (Bengaluru FC are set to play in AFC Champions League Qualifiers, and possibly AFC Cup afterwards). It also boosts BFC's chances of doing well in the ACL qualifiers, where Jhingan's physicality will come in handy while playing against clubs from higher ranked countries.
