The ISL has had many marquee players in its 6 year’s history. The number of marquee signings have gone down in recent years because of lack of finances and also because they aren’t available for much years. But still the clubs are interested to sign marquee players when they have the luxury of spending for one of them. Marquee players played a crucial role in increasing the viewership and the popularity of the league in its early years. Not all marquee players have performed well in the ISL but the excitement they bring to the fans is unparalleled. We have already seen rumours of players like Samir Nasri creating a real buzz amongst the indian football fans. We take a look at 5 marquee players the ISL clubs should target for the upcoming season.
1) ALEX SONG
Alex Song, the famous Cameroonian defensive midfielder, has played for the likes of FC Barcelona, Arsenal and West Ham in his career. The 32 year old has 49 caps for the Cameroonian national team too. He last played in the Swiss top divison for FC Sion and was recently released by the club. Now Alex Song is a free agent with a market value of 400,000 euros which makes him affordable for the ISL clubs. Quality in the centre of the park is much needed for any club, thus ISL clubs need to look at Alex Song. He is experienced, as he played for top clubs in Europe and will be a great addition for any club. Unlike other marquee players who have played in the ISL, he might have 3-4 years left in him before he decides to hang up his boots.
2) NICKLAS BENDTNER
Nicklas Bendtner is a Danish centre-forward who has the experience of playing in the top leagues of Europe like the English premier league, Italian Serie A And the German Bundesliga. He has scored 30 goals in 81 appearences for the Denmark national team too. Even though Bendtner has a good record of scoring for his national team, he hasnt lived upto expectations in his club career. His best stint was at Rosenborg were he played for two seasons. He joined the Norwegian club in the 2017/18 season and scored 24 goals in 57 appearances, helping them win back to back championships. Bendtner last played in the Danish top division for FC Copenhagen. He is now a free agent with a market value of 325,000 euros. The 2009 Denmark footballer of the year brings in his vast experience of playing in clubs like Arsenal, Juventus and VFL Wolfsburg. For any ISL clubs in search of a prolific striker, this 32 year old is an excellent option.