1. Sunil Chhetri: Rs 1.2 Crore
Base Price: Rs 80 Lakh
After giving the first season of the tournament a miss, due to his iLeague commitments, Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri went under the hammer today and got picked up by Mumbai City FC for Rs 1.2 crore.
The 30-year-old, four-time ‘AIFF Player of the Year’ was the country’s first player to score 50 international goals. But all those achievements did not translate into a big payday for Chhetri as he managed to escalate his base price by just Rs 40 Lakhs.
2. Eugeneson Lyngdoh: Rs 1.05 Crore
Base Price: Rs 27.5 Lakh
A complete surprise, Eugeneson Lyngdoh went to Pune City for Rs 1.05 crores after a round of heavy bidding earlier in the day,
The Shillong-born mid-fielder is popular for his assists and through balls, especially for Bengaluru FC, his iLeague team. He was also awarded the I-League Mid-Fielder of the Year in 2014-2015.
3. Rino Anota: Rs 90 Lakh
Base Price: Rs 17.5 Lakh
The Kerala born was another surprise buy after Lyngdoh. Starting off at a base price of only Rs 17.5 lakh, Rino Anota was signed at a whopping Rs 90 lakh by Atletico De Kolkata.
Anota plays right-back for Bengaluru FC, and for the Indian National Football Team. He has previously played in Mohun Bagan FC (2008-2010) and Salgaokar (2010-2012).
Anota made his national team debut on 11 June, 2015, against Oman, in a Group D game of the 2018 World Cup qualifier. The match resulted in a 1-2 loss in Bengaluru.
4. Thoi Singh: Rs 86 Lakh
Base Price: Rs 39 Lakh
Bought by Chennaiyin FC for Rs 86 lakh, 24-year-old Thoi Singh plays in the central mid-field for the Indian National Football Team, and is particularly praised for his tenacity and ball-winning capabilities.
Thoi joined Bengaluru FC after stints at Mahindra United, Salgaocar, United Sikkim and Mumbai Tigers and made 20 appearances in the blues title, winning the debut season. An I-League winner with Salgaocar in 2011, Thois’s late goal against Churchill Brothers won Mahindra the Durand Cup in 2008.
5. Arata Izumi: Rs 68 Lakh
Base Price: Rs 40 Lakh
Born in Japan, the 32-year-old plied his trade for the Indian football team in nine international matches, back in 2013.
Owing to the growing popularity of the Indian Super League, the midfielder signed up for the auction and ended up in Sourav Ganguly’s Atlético de Kolkata.
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