Bengaluru FC has announce its most high profile signing Gurpreet Singh for the forthcoming Indian Soccer League season. The JSW Group-owned franchisee has put a TVC on club’s official website to welcome the star goalkeeper from Norwegian club Stabaek FC.
The video titled “we have got him” opens up as a news bulletin on television, which says that Bangaluru is on a high alert because a “mysterious creature in yellow” is spotted on various grounds , which is “really big, yellow. Is like a human but it has really big hands”. The mystery solves with Gurpreet Singh appearing on the screen just before the hash tag #GURPREETISABLUE concludes the TVC.
The club though did not reveal the signing amount, the contract is believed to be close to Rs 1.75 crore rupees – highest ever for an Indian player in the ISL history. The signing relegates India captain and Bengaluru FC icon player Sunil Cheetri’s Rs 1.5 crore deal to the second position. Jeje Lalpekhua, Sandesh Jingen and Amrinder Singh are the other star players in the rupees one crore club.
Gurpreet, who became the first Indian player to be signed for ISL from a European club, was excited about the one-year contract with Bengaluru FC even as he reportedly had the option of playing for a top flight club in Europe. “I am extremely delighted to have signed for Bengaluru FC. While the experience of playing in Europe was fantastic, lack of game time was an important factor in making the decision of moving back to India. I had an offer from another top-flight club in Europe, but the need to play regularly ahead of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 was something that was on my mind,” Gurpreet has said on his arrival in Bengaluru.
“The fact that Bengaluru FC was interested in me was encouraging considering what they have achieved over the last few years. With BFC playing on the continental level this season as well as the next one will provide the perfect platform for me,” he added.
Gurpreet’s three-year deal with Norway’s Stabaek FC was scheduled to end this year. The Bengaluru-based club has reportedly got him on board after paying Rs 25 lakh transfer fee to Gupreet’s Norwegian club.
Probably, the prospects of playing in the AFC Cup have got Gurpreet sign the Bengaluru contract.
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