ISL: Mandar Rao Dessai pens two-year contract with Chennaiyin FC

Indian Super League outfit Chennaiyin FC has signed the services of Mandar Rao Dessai on a two-year contract, the club announced on Sunday on their social media platform. This contract will keep the full-back at Marina Machans till 2026.

Dessai has savored success in the ISL, winning the Cup once and the League Shield on three occasions. The 32-year-old lifted the Cup as well as the Shield with FC Goa in the 2019–20 season. Subsequently, he won the Shield with Mumbai City FC in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 editions.

Chennaiyin FC will be Dessai’s fourth club in the ISL and he becomes the club’s seventh signing in the ongoing off-season.

The team’s head coach Owen Coyle showered praise on Mandar Rao Dessai.

Commenting on the signing of Dessai, head coach Owen Coyle said: “In Mandar Rao Dessai, we have got bags of experience coming in at left back. He’s a wonderful defender who can honestly say he knows the Indian football scene better than most, having made more appearances than nearly any other player in the history of the league.”

“Chennaiyin (FC) is a champion club. They’ve been champion two times and have been to playoffs so many times. I’ve played against them before, and they always tried to have a good team. The coach also told me that I can be a good example for the youngsters and help the team grow,” Dessai said.

Dessai has got all the experience under his belt as he has played 155 matches in the ISL. Furthermore, he has been part of 14 playoffs and has also scored six goals and has provided 12 assists.

Dessai was part of the East Bengal FC set-up last season and played 17 matches for the Kolkata-based club. In 2020, he also became the first player to play 100 ISL games.