Chennaiyin FC defender Bijay Chhetri signs for Uruguayan club

by Anas Mujawar March 27, 2024

Bijay Chhetri becomes the first Indian player to sign with Latin American club after he joins Uruguayan club Colon Futbol Club on loan.

The 22-year-old rising Indian footballer Bijay Chhetri has completed his move from Chennaiyin FC to a Uruguay based Colon Futbol club. It is a loan move until the end of the year with Colon Futbol Club having the option to make this signing permanent. With this Bijay Chhetri becomes the first Indian footballer to sign a contract with a Latin American club.

The 22-year-old talented player Bijay Chettri is from Manipur and began his humble footballing career with Shillong Lajong back in 2016 and made his first senior appearance with Indian arrows in 2018. Since then, the youngster has played for teams like Chennai City, Real Kashmir and Sreenidi Deccan before finally joining Chennaiyin FC this season, his maiden ISL club

Colon Futbol Club has a 116 years long heritage of professional football, based in Montevideo and currently is competing in the second division of Uruguay.

Chennaiyin FC co-owner Vita Dani expressed her views on transfer of Bijay as, “We are extremely proud to see Bijay make his way to one of the world’s biggest football nations. Uruguay are forever etched in the game’s history, with four stars on their chest as winners of two Olympic gold medals in 1924 and 1928, the first World Cup in 1930 and then repeating in Brazil in 1950. And Colon Futbol Club are part of that heritage; founded even before the first World Cup. I wish Bijay the very best and we are all hoping for his success as he makes history as the first Indian player to secure a contract with a Latin American club.”

Marcelo Rifas, the director of Colon Futbol club, expressing his views on the transfer said, “When a Bijay’s profile was proposed to us, looking at his videos from the past, his profile and our internal references we got more and more confident of the player. Now we sincerely hope he can come at the earliest and get integrated into our team. We see him as a solid first team player for us. It also helps us open a line of sourcing players from a new marketplace.”

The two-time ISL champions Chennaiyin FC having made a commitment towards nurturing young Indian talent, have roped in Chhetri in July last year, holding up to their end of commitment and since then the talented youngster from Manipur has been honing his skills as a defender under the guidance of expert coaches of the club.

Reacting to his transfer to the Colon FC, Chhetri expressed, “I feel so excited to get this opportunity for the new challenge in my professional career. I hope to put in good performances to enhance my game, repay the trust shown in me by Colon FC and to keep the Indian flag flying high. I am very well aware that If I do well it can pave the way for future Indian players also to move abroad into these markets.

“I wish to sincerely thank Vita Dani and the Chennaiyin FC management along with my agency Soccer Consultants Group for facilitating the transfer. Without their help it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Click here to check the Fixture, News and Standing of RFDL

Click here to check the Fixture, News and Standing of MFA Premier League (MPL)

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest happenings in the world of Indian Football.