Hyderabad FC, the reigning ISL champions have started building their team for the upcoming season. The Nizams are in advanced talks with Mohammedan SC defender Manoj Mohammed, the sources close to IFTWC can confirm.
Manoj is a product of the famed East Bengal youth system. In 2010 Manoj joined the North Bengal academy of East Bengal at Rajganj, located at Jalpaiguri in North Bengal. Ranjan Chowdhury, the Technical Director of East Bengal academy in Kolkata, transferred Manoj from the Rajganj academy to the main academy of East Bengal at Kolkata.
Manoj became the captain of the East Bengal U-18 team and played as a center-back for the team that had narrowly lost in the final of the 2016–17 I-League U-18 tournament. His impressive performance earned him a place on the East Bengal senior team squad for the 2018-19 I-League season. Then head coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia converted Manoj from the center-back position and played him as a left-back.
Mohammed made his I-League debut against NEROCA FC in 2018. Manoj had a memorable start to his professional career as he made 16 appearances in the I-League in his first season. But it was a difficult time for the 23-year-old as he could only manage to play 2 games in the 19/20 season and that too was in the Durand Cup.
In October 2020, Manoj signed for fellow Kolkata giants Mohammedan SC after East Bengal joined the Indian Super League. Ever since then he has been an important player for the Black Panthers and has appeared for them in over 25 official games.
At Hyderabad FC, Manoj is expected to add depth, versatility, and quality to the already strong left-back position which includes Akash Mishra, Pritam Singh, and Dimple Bhagat. A modern full-back by trade who likes to go forward during the attack and also drops back while the team is defending.
He has every trait to become successful in Manolo Marquez’s Hyderabad FC. Mohammed will be a good choice in case Akash Mishra is unavailable for selection or he can be substituted in for Mishra’s place late in the game.
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