East Bengal’s Argentine defender Kevin Sibille could be the latest foreign player to leave the Indian Super League (ISL) amid ongoing uncertainty over the league’s future. Over the past few days, several overseas players — including Adrian Luna, Noah Sadoui, Borja Herrera and Jose Arroyo — have either terminated their contracts or moved out on loan due to the lack of clarity surrounding the season.
Although the Argentine centre-back remains committed to the Red and Gold Brigade, he has received an offer for a loan move to a Spanish club. According to Sibille’s agent. “The prospect of no league is a concern for Kevin. At his (Kevin) age, he can’t afford to miss out on a whole season and he is looking for clarity if league would take place this year or not.
“He is committed to East Bengal and is interested to stay. Apparently, he has asked the club to allow him to go for a loan spell if things remain in deadlock before the winter window ends. He has an offer from Spain, but he will wait till the third week of January for a confirmation on ISL,” he added.
However, club sources maintain that Sibille remains closely associated with East Bengal and is expected to join training soon. The Kolkata giants resumed their practice under head coach Oscar Bruzon, on Monday, after a lengthy break following their Super Cup final appearance in Goa; a pause largely caused by the uncertainty around the ISL. Sibille was absent from the first training session after the break, along with Miguel Ferreira, but both players are expected to arrive in Kolkata shortly.
As of now, there is still no official confirmation regarding the start of the ISL season. The top-tier league normally begins in September, but it has been delayed this season due to the absence of a commercial partner. The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to decide the format of a short-term league for the season which is likely to start from February 15.
Meanwhile, East Bengal have officially parted ways with Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad, the club confirmed on Monday. In a social media statement, the club said, “The decision comes after Hamid expressed his desire to be with his family during this period. As a club that values the well-being of its players beyond the pitch, we have decided to honour his wishes.”
The club has already begun the process of identifying a suitable replacement. Ahadad, who joined East Bengal, in July last year, had a brief stint with the club, scoring two goals in seven appearances. He was last seen in action during the Super Cup final against FC Goa.
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