Bhubaneswar: Odisha FC on Friday signed defenders Sahil Panwar and Sebastian Thangmuansang ahead of the upcoming eighth edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).
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Coming on board from Hyderabad FC for an undisclosed transfer fee, 21-year-old Sahil has signed a two-year deal with an option to extend it by a year. The move will officially be completed once the Indian transfer window opens this summer.
Sahil has represented the country in various age-group tournaments and also captained India in the 2017 SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) U-18 Championship.
The 22-year-old right-back from Manipur, Sebastian, who recently won the I-League title with Gokulam Kerala FC, has also signed a two-year contract with the Odisha FC. He had also represented NEROCA and Chennai City FC in the I-League after his youth career at Pune.
Panwar said, "Odisha FC is a club which always promotes young footballers. I wish to play for India and hope the club provides me with an opportunity to show my potential in the upcoming season of the ISL."
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Sebastian, meanwhile, said, "I hope to repay the trust shown in me by the management…can't wait to meet my new teammates and start training with them."
Speaking on the new signings, Odisha FC CEO, Rohan Sharma, said: "Despite his young age, we see Sahil as a veteran having played in the ISL [previously for Hyderabad FC and FC Pune City]. We think Odisha FC will be a good place for him to compete to make an impact on the defence. We've been tracking Sebastian for the past two years and we are glad he has finally joined the team."
