ISL
Rafael Crivellaro was in final talks with East Bengal FC
As a part of our 'The Bridge Leaks' series, we reveal how Rafael Crivellaro almost became a part of Stephen Constantine's side.
Rafael Crivellaro (Source: ISL Media Team)
Rafael Crivellaro was one of the most sought-after names in the July transfer window. East Bengal FC tried its best to rope him into the team. However unable to match the financial demands of the player, they named Alex Lima in that position. Finally, Rafael Crivellaro was scooped up by Jamshedpur FC in a recent deal.
Crivellaro is a household name in Indian football. Starting his career at Inter B, he went on to play for some of the top-notch clubs in Europe like Empoli, Vit Guimaraes, Wisla Krakow, Arouca, Feirense, and many other clubs.
The former Portuguese cup winner came to India in 2019 when he signed for Chennaiyin FC. He played 17 matches for them scoring seven goals in that season. After that, he continued for three more seasons at Marina Arena.
Due to his injury, he was de-registered at the start of the 2022-23 season by the Chennaiyin management. The Marina Machans named Nasser El-Khayati to replace him. East Bengal FC tried to pounce on this opportunity to rope in him. But, they failed and named Alex Lima instead.
Ultimately, in the January transfer window, the Brazilian replaced compatriot Wellington Priori in the Jamshedpur squad.
East Bengal FC is currently having a mediocre season. They have managed to win three games till now this season. Injury of Alex Lima and Eliandro are adding to their woes. If they were successful in roping in Crivellaro, it could have been a different story this season.
