Kolkata giants East Bengal are set to part ways with off-form striker Willis Plaza within the next couple of days as an immediate consequence of losing to arch-rivals Mohun Bagan on Sunday afternoon.
Plaza has been in horrible form throughout the season and was even struggling to score against the local minnows in the Calcutta Football League (CFL). Khalid Jamil had not succumbed to the faction inside the club who were in favour of signing a replacement before the start of the I-League and had reiterated his faith in the striker.
That, however, didn't help Plaza find his usual self, as the striker could only net a brace against bottom placed Churchill Brothers, drawing a blank in nine other outings.
Plaza had arrived in Kolkata among much fanfare after having won the league in his country with Central and scoring 10 goals in that season. He had an impressive tally of 9 goals from 12 starts last season but a closer look informs that most goals came against teams like Mumbai FC, Chennai City FC and Minerva Punjab, all of whom were not fighting for the title.
The Red and Golds have already entered the transfer market in search of a potential replacement but it's expected to be a classical number nine, which means that the return of Do Dong Hyun - who remains the favourite of many club fans due to his derby heroics - looks unlikely at the moment.
Khalid Jamil has a few days in hand to rejig his strategy and fit the new signing in his formation before playing fellow title-challenger Minerva Punjab on 30th January.
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