Credit: X
Young Indian footballer Bijay Chhetri has completed a loan move to join Colon FC , based in Uruguay, until the end of the year from Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC. With this transfer, Bijay became the first Indian footballer to sign a professional contract with a Latin American club.
Colon FC is a historic professional football club based in Montevideo and is currently part of the second division of Uruguay. The 116-year-old club has the option to make the loan move into a permanent transfer. Chhetri started his career in Manipur, playing for the Shillong Lajong in 2016 and made his senior appearance with Indian Arrows in 2018.
Since then, he has played for clubs like Chennai City, Real Kashmir and Sreenidi Deccan before joining Chennaiyin FC this season, his maiden ISL club. Now he will travel to South America and be the first Indian to play in the Uruguayan Segunda División .
Speaking about his transfer, Bijay Chhetri expressed excitement and the Chennaiyin management to help him in this journey. As quoted by PTI, Chhetri said, “I feel so excited to get this opportunity for a 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.”