ISL Transfers: East Bengal complete the signing of Anwar Ali
One of the pillars of the Indian national team’s defense, Anwar has played 22 matches for the Blue Tigers since making his international debut in March 2022.
Anwar Ali (Photo credit: East Bengal)
East Bengal FC on Tuesday announced that Indian national team defensive mainstay Anwar Ali has signed a 5-year contract with the club on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee from Delhi FC.
Welcoming Anwar to the Emami East Bengal family, Mr Vibhash Vardhan Agarwal of Emami Group said, “Anwar is one of the best defenders in the country and a regular starter for the national team. Emami has been tracking him for a long time and when the chance came, we couldn’t let him go. He is one of the best in India, and we hope we can come one step closer to our goals with this signing.”
Emami East Bengal FC Head Coach Carles Cuadrat commented, “In Anwar, we have got another national team player who will give us much-needed experience at the top level and the quality and physicality in the squad that we are trying to build for the next few years. Players need to believe in what you are doing as a coach, before joining a new project. I am happy to see how some young players in Indian football have realized this season that Emami East Bengal is the club where they can take the next step in their careers.”
One of the pillars of the Indian national team’s defense, Anwar has played 22 matches for the Blue Tigers so far since making his international debut in March 2022, winning the Tri-Nation series (2023), the Intercontinental Cup (2023) and the SAFF Championship (2023). The 23-year-old has represented the national team at all age group levels from U-17 to the senior team. He was a vital member of the Indian team that participated in the U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017 on home soil.
Anwar rose through the youth set-up of the Minerva Academy before rising to prominence whilst playing for the AIFF’s developmental side in 2017. In the Indian Super League, Anwar has played a total of 46 matches so far since 2021. Besides being one of the finest centre-backs in the country, Anwar has also displayed his knack for scoring on multiple occasions. Anwar not only scored 3 goals and provided 1 assist across 26 matches last season, he was also the top scorer for Delhi FC in the 2021 I-League Qualifiers (4 goals).
In last season’s ISL, Anwar registered 4 clean sheets, 18 interceptions, 17 tackles, 45 successful duels. 19 successful aerial duels, 9 blocks, 67 recoveries, 52 clearances, and 549 successful passes in 16 matches.
Expressing his joy at joining Emami East Bengal FC, Anwar said, “I am honored and excited to wear the Red & Gold jersey. The reception I got at the Kolkata Airport was overwhelming, and the fans have already shown me much love and support. I want to dedicate the best years of my career to this iconic club and its passionate fans. Every time I take the field, I want to make our fans proud and happy. Joy East Bengal!”
The player registration is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.
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