Kolkata: The ISL season 4 is not too far away and ATK, the defending champions are heading towards to have a different shape after a successful association with Spanish side Atletico de Madrid in the last three seasons. This time with an out an out British system and philosophy, the champions are looking equally formidable as they had been in the last three seasons. Though they are yet to complete their quota of foreigners for the forthcoming season, www.xtratime.in picks the top three foreign signings for the club so far.
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Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane doesn’t need any introduction. The Irish legend is a goal poacher. Despite the fact that he has his age to go against him, it didn’t affect his sharpness in front of the goal. The 37-year-old might be cast aside as an expensive gamble by ATK, but his record speaks for himself. Keane’s reputation follows him, and he has scored goals everywhere he has played, from Italy and Scotland to England and the United States. India is his latest stop, and it remains to be seen how he influences proceedings in the ISL next season. That said, should he start knocking the goals in, his exorbitant wages might seem a bargain by ISL-4’s end.
Conor Thomas
The British winger has been playing senior football since he was 17 and even ended up at Liverpool once, but Coventry City and Swindon Town are the places where he has had all his senior caps in English football. Still only 23, Thomas moving to ATK came as a surprise, but with Sheringham and Westwood in charge, the 6ft 1in central midfielder will be the sprightly support Eugeneson Lyngdoh would need at the heart of ATK’s midfield next season. Although he isn’t a big-name signing, Thomas could turn out to be one of the shrewdest signings of this summer.
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Zequinha
Portuguese forward Zequinha, became ATK’s second foreign signing after Keane. The 30-year-old has been around senior level football for over 12 years now and has also played in Greece apart from his native Portugal. However, ISL 2017-18 will be Zequinha’s first spell outside Europe and it remains to be seen how he settles in at his new club. His problems could further be compounded by the fact that he isn’t quite a free scoring striker like Keane, and comparisons between the two could affect the FC Porto Academy graduate.