Bengaluru, May 23 (IANS) Bengaluru FC, on Friday, announced that midfielder Lalremtluanga Fanai had signed a three-year extension to his current deal with the Blues, keeping him on the club’s books until the end of the 2027-28 season. The 20-year-old, fresh off an impressive campaign under Spanish tactician Gerard Zaragoza, has grown into a complete, reliable midfielder, having joined the club in 2020.

“I’m really glad to extend my time here at Bengaluru FC. I came here as a teenager, and I’ve grown immensely in the last four seasons. The coaches and players around me have been very supportive, and I strongly believe this is the right place for me to grow. I’m looking forward to making more memories with this football club,” Fanai said after putting pen to paper on his new deal.

Fanai came through the ranks at Bengaluru FC, turning out for the club’s U18 Academy side before breaking into the BFC Reserves. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Fanai was drafted into the club’s Indian Super League squad.

The midfielder made his first-team debut against Sreenidi Deccan FC in the 2023 Super Cup and went on to make his Indian Super League bow against Punjab FC later on in the season.

Comfortable on the ball and with a wide range of passing, Fanai’s clean tackling and accurate positioning stem from his smart reading of the game, enabling him to get himself in the right positions on the field. Over two seasons, Fanai has made 36 appearances in the Indian Super League, positive numbers for a player of his age.

“At just 20, Fanai shows maturity and composure that’s far beyond his age. We’re really impressed with how he’s progressed over the last two seasons with the First Team. As a player who has come through our ranks, he stands for what we believe in as a football club, and we’re all really glad to be able to secure his services for the foreseeable future,” said Blues’ Director of Football, Darren Caldeira.

Fanai, who has been called up to Team India’s U23 Probables for friendlies against Tajikistan U23 and Kyrgyz Republic U23, follows full-back Naorem Roshan Singh in signing an extension with the Blues.

–IANS

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