New Delhi: In one of the biggest signings in Indian club football, Shillong Lajong roped in Portuguese Under-19 international and former English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers striker Edinho Junior on a loan transfer on Wednesday to strengthen their stuttering I-League campaign.
Edinho will join Shillong Lajong on a short-term loan from February 16 until the end of the I-League season. He is a Portuguese national of Brazilian origin who moved to Blackburn Rovers from Olhanense.
The 18-year-old has made two appearance for Rovers this season after joining the club in June last year. He is also a member of the Portuguese Under-19 national side and was reportedly a £500,000 (Rs 4.2 crore) target for top Scottish Premier League side Celtic last February.
Shillong Lajong General Secretary Larsing Ming Sawyan described the signing as a “path-breaking” event in the history of Indian football.
“It’s a path-breaking event in Indian football. It has not happened in the past that a player from a big English club signed to play in an Indian club. The signing of Edinho will no doubt be a huge boost to the club and I am looking forward to some good results,” he said.
He, however, refused to disclose the signing amount, simply saying that Edinho Junior is a “high-value” player.
“He is a big signing, a high-value player. Balckburn Rovers is not a small club. It was in English Premier League only last year and players there earned a lot of money as compared to Indians. So, it’s not a small amount.”
Blackburn Rovers now play in the second tier league, the Championship.
Sawyan said the loan transfer happened with the help of Blackburn Rovers’ Indian owner, Balaji Rao, who is the Managing Director at Venky’s.
“We are thankful to Blackburn Rovers for providing us with a player of Edinho’s quality. He will be an incisive edge to Lajong’s forward line and will definitely add to the quality of the game on the field,” Sawyan said.
SLFC made a decent start in the I-League but have faltered later and are currently in 11th place.
Lajong have been on a foreign-buying spurt of late, signing two Japanese players, Taisuke Matsugae and Sho Kamimura.
A football website also reported, on Wednesday, that the club’s Nigerian striker Friday Gbeneme has been released from the club.
Friday started strongly last year and is the club’s highest goal-scorer this season, but has not made as much of an impact in later matches. (PTI)