New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): In football, timing can make all the difference, and the same holds true for transfers. A player might struggle to find rhythm at one club, only to thrive at another when the conditions align. Often, it’s simply about being in the right environment at the right moment, as per the official website of the Indian Super League (ISL).
The Indian Super League has seen its fair share of those transfer moves, players who needed only a change of scenery to start delivering and some of them quickly made their mark with an immediate impact. In a league where every point counts and head coaches rarely have time to wait, these players came in and instantly raised the ceiling of their new teams.
Some arrived mid-season, others were under-the-radar trades but each one of them, in their own way, reshaped narratives and made a lasting first impression.
Manuel Onwu’s time at Bengaluru FC in the first half of the 2019-20 season was underwhelming. He was brought in to fill big boots and lead the line, but the goals never came. By January, both the club and the player needed a reset. That reset came in the form of a loan move to Odisha FC and what followed was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in ISL history.
Almost immediately after landing in Bhubaneswar, Onwu looked like a different player. In just his four appearances for Odisha FC, he netted seven goals, including a sensational hat-trick against Kerala Blasters FC. It wasn’t just the numbers but the confidence, the composure and the swagger. Odisha FC gave him the minutes and the trust and he repaid them with ruthless efficiency.
Onwu’s purple patch helped Odisha FC push for a playoff spot and reminded everyone of what the Spaniard was capable of. In many ways, it’s the classic case of a player needing the right system to shine and Onwu’s switch in the second half of the 2019-20 campaign proved that timing really is everything.
When NorthEast United FC signed Deshorn Brown from Bengaluru FC midway through the 2020-21 season, the club was in the middle of a playoff push and needed firepower. Brown, who had struggled for game time and goals at Bengaluru FC, suddenly found himself in a setup that allowed him to stretch defences and play with freedom.
It didn’t take long for the Jamaican striker to announce his arrival as he scored on his debut against Jamshedpur FC. That performance set the tone for what was to come. Brown offered smart runs, physical presence and clinical finishing. He brought a new dimension to Khalid Jamil’s counter-attacking approach and his goals arrived at crucial moments.
Brown ended the season with five goals from 10 appearances for the Highlanders, a massive improvement from his barren spell at Bengaluru FC. But beyond numbers, it was the way he instantly slotted into the side and added the cutting edge. NorthEast United FC’s surprise run to the semi-finals that season had multiple heroes and Brown was one of them.
Daniel Chima Chukwu’s stint at East Bengal FC had been anything but smooth. The team was struggling, and the service to him up front was limited. With just two goals to his name and plenty of doubters, Chima parted ways with East Bengal FC in January 2022, only to script a stunning comeback at Jamshedpur FC.
Under Owen Coyle, Chima didn’t just rediscover form but he became the missing piece in Jamshedpur FC’s charge for the Shield. In his debut for the club, he scored a goal against FC Goa and instantly clicked with the system. In the eleven games he played for Jamshedpur FC that season, he scored seven goals and was directly involved in several more with his hold-up play and intelligent movement. Jamshedpur FC went on to lift the Shield that season and Chima’s mid-season arrival was a massive factor.
When Chinglensana Singh joined Hyderabad FC ahead of the 2020-21 season, not many foresaw the leap he was about to make. At FC Goa, he was on the fringes; a backup option who rarely featured in the eleven. But Hyderabad FC saw something else: a centre-back who just needed a platform. And once he got it, he made sure no one forgot the name.
Sana slotted straight into the starting lineup and quickly became a cornerstone of Manolo Marquez’s young and dynamic team. He was composed on the ball, sharp in duels, and excellent at reading the game. His passing accuracy and leadership at the back allowed Hyderabad FC to build confidently from deep, while his consistency made him an undroppable presence. The Manipur centre-back helped the team register six clean sheets and Hyderabad FC kept the joint-second most clean sheets that season with a tally of eight.
Singh made his place in one of the stingiest defences in the league and was part of a team that narrowly missed out on reaching the playoffs. The following season, Singh tasted silverware as HFC went on to lift the ISL Cup.
If there was one player whose career took a massive jump through a new environment, it was Amey Ranawade. After spending time at FC Goa without truly breaking through, Ranawade joined Mumbai City FC ahead of the 2020-21 season and what followed was a personal and professional breakthrough.
He started regularly and right from the opening match weeks, his presence on the right flank became a vital asset for Sergio Lobera’s system. He defended resolutely, bombed forward with intent and showed remarkable consistency for someone still relatively new to top-tier football. The Islanders registered a joint-high tally of 10 clean sheets that season and Ranawade was involved in five of them while making 20 appearances.
He became part of the side that won both the ISL League Shield and the ISL Cup in 2020-21 and was widely praised for his reliability and drive. The switch to MCFC gave him both structure and freedom and in return, the local lad gave the club one of the most dependable full-backs in the league.
For a full-back who had featured regularly during the 2018-19 season with ATK FC, the following campaign was a harsh contrast. Ricky Lallawmawma didn’t play a single minute during ATK’s ISL Cup-winning 2019-20 season. But then came the move to Jamshedpur FC and with it, a new lease of life.
When he arrived ahead of the 2020-21 season, it wasn’t the kind of transfer that grabbed headlines but at Jamshedpur FC, he found his rhythm again. He became a first-choice left-back almost immediately, offering a calm and composed presence on the flank.
Lallawmawma supported the midfield well, timed his tackles with precision and held his own in defensive duels. That season, the Men of Steel narrowly missed out on the playoffs, but kept eight clean sheets, the joint-second highest in the league, with Lallawmawma contributing to seven of them.
While others grabbed the spotlight, Lallawmawma kept doing his job week in, week out. He was a quiet engine on the flank who rarely put a foot wrong and that foundation helped power the team’s historic Shield-winning campaign the following season, where he once again played a vital role.
Ritwik Das barely got a look-in during his time at Kerala Blasters FC in 2020-21, managing just four appearances and 94 minutes but everything changed after his move to Jamshedpur FC the following season. Under Owen Coyle, Das didn’t just earn regular minutes but transformed into one of the most exciting Indian wingers in the league. He added goals to his game, netting four times and registering an assist, becoming Jamshedpur FC’s top Indian scorer during their Shield triumph. Known for his quick feet, sharp dribbling and ability to pick out teammates in the final third, the Asansol-born player became a constant threat on the left flank and a key part of Jamshedpur FC’s attack. It was a breakout campaign that firmly put him on the ISL map. (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
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