new delhi ,aug 19
India international defender Rahul Bheke has signed a two-year contract with Mumbai City FC, the reigning Indian Super League champions.
Bheke, 30, well known for his deep throw-ins, began his career with under-19 side Mahindra United. Before joning East Bengal in 2015, he played for I-League side Air India, Mumbai Tigers and Mumbai FC. In the ISL, the Mumbai born player played Kerala Blasters, FC Pune City and champion side Bengaluru FC for the past five years. Bheke’s best moment came in 2019 when BFC lifted the ISL title in 2019 when he scored the winner in the extra-time.He is now in the national camp in Kolkata preparing for the international friendlies and represented India 13 times making debut against Curaçao during the 2019 Kings’ Cup in Thailand and both World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualifiers. “It’s a surreal feeling to have joined Mumbai City. This is my hometown club and of course, the defending champions. The feeling of representing your city and your people is what makes this game more special for me, and I did not have to think twice when the opportunity to join Mumbai City came about. I am aware of the ambitions we have at our club and the expectations that the coach Sergio Lobera has from me, and I’m fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. I’m ready to start this new journey with my new family and make memories with our fans,” he remarked.Mumbai City FC are the current ISL champions and will represent India in the 2022 AFC Champions League.“Rahul is an experienced professional. He’s tremendously versatile in his abilities and he brings the traits of a leader, which is highly regarded in our club. Rahul knows what it takes to be a winner and he has the right mentality. He’s a Mumbai boy and I am sure he knows what it means to be here and what it would take. We are happy to have him here and I am confident that he can contribute positively at Mumbai City,” said coach Sergio Lobera in a statement.
