Last year's semi-finalists Delhi Dynamos started their squad building for the season ahead by picking up promising goalkeeper Albino Gomes in the first round of the Indian Super League (ISL) domestic drafts on Sunday.
Albino, who had played a big role in Aizawl FC's I-League winning campaign last year, is regarded to be one of the best young goalkeepers of the country and has even been part of the national team squad in the recent past.
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The club, which was in talks with Pritam Kotal before the governing body of the competition chose to have a draft, captured the India international for 75 lakhs, making him their highest paid domestic footballer. Kotal, who rose through the Pailan Arrows rank, have been a regular starter for Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan in the last few seasons.
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Dynamos also brought in wingers Seityasen Singh and Romeo Fernandes, defender Pratik Chowdhury, young midfielder Vinit Rai and left-back Sena Ralte. While many of these players have been known faces in the domestic circuit for years, very few of them have actually been consistent members of first XI's in the big teams.
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Delhi Dynamos, much to the surprise of its own fan base, chose to not retain any of their star players ahead of today's draft. Although the reaction to such a decision was a mixed bag, it gave them the privilege to enter the ISL draft in the first round, with new entrant Tata Steel-owned Jamshedpur FC.
The club based in the country's capital bid farewell to their former coach Gianluca Zambrotta, who managed to lead the club to the ISL semifinals last season, and appointed Portuguese coach Miguel Angel Portugal for the upcoming season. The 61-year-old has extensive experience in Spain, having managed the likes of Real Madrid Castilla, Cordoba and Racing Santander during his managerial career.
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