ISL: Ex-Kerala Blasters skipper Bartholomew Ogbeche joins Mumbai City FC

Star forward Bartholomew Ogbeche has joined Mumbai City FC for the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season, the club confirmed. The 36-year-old Nigerian World Cupper has penned a one-year deal with the Islanders having recently announced his departure from Kerala Blasters, with whom he spent the 2019-20 season.

With 27 goals and 2 assists in 33 appearances in the ISL, Ogbeche has been a prolific goalscorer for both the Blasters and NorthEast United FC, with whom he started his Indian journey in 2018. Mumbai City had been negotiating with the striker for a long time now and coach Sergio Lobera was full of praise for his team’s new acquisition, calling him a “terrific goal-scorer and a role model’. “I have followed Bart extensively over the last two seasons, and I can say with certainty that he is a top class player. With his experience and influence, we know that Bart can contribute a lot to our team and to our club”, he added.

Ogbeche himself is relishing the opportunity of playing under the Spaniard and said, “In my two years in the ISL, I’ve come up a fair few times against Sergio Lobera’s team, and our coach’s positive and free-flowing brand of football perfectly fits my style and idea of the game”. About the prospect of joining the club, the former PSG, Alaves and Middlesbrough attacker stated, “I’m very happy and excited to be here at Mumbai City. Besides the brilliant mix of youth and experience in our team, the apparent quality and level of the squad speaks volumes about the ambitions we have here”.

Indeed, with a wide range of talented players at his disposal this season, Mumbai City under Lobera is definitely going to be one of the teams to watch out for. Fans would be expecting the free-flowing attacking football that his FC Goa side displayed with much success last season and given his affinity for style and flair, this might just turn out to be a special season for the Islanders.