Bengaluru: With a little more than two months before their AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semifinal clash against Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr, Bengaluru FC have begun fortifying the squad, signing versatile winger Kean Lewis on a one-year deal, the club announced on Sunday.
Twenty-five-year-old Kean whose previous ISL stints include FC Pune City and Delhi Dynamos trained at the Tata Football Academy for two seasons before heading to the United States of America to complete his education and pursue professional football. He joined the U23 team of MLS side Houston Dynamos before switching to NPSL side Laredo Heat.
"I am very excited on signing with Bengaluru FC. I've constantly heard of how the club is set up professionally on and off the pitch. The football aside, I've heard so many good things about the management and it's nice to be able to turn out for a team that is keen on improving every aspect," said the Mumbai-born player whose first professional stint in Indian football was with Mohun Bagan.
HE'S KEAN, HE'S BLUE! We've added some pace on the flanks as @KeanFLewis joins Bengaluru for the 2018-19 season. #WelcomeKean 🔵 pic.twitter.com/9sC6odLLYd
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) June 3, 2018
A versatile option in attack, Lewis has been preferred on the left side of the pitch for most of his career and he's confident of settling in soon. "The squad has some very experienced players and this is a big opportunity for me to learn and get better. I'm looking forward to pre-season and I'm certain I won't take much time to blend into the Bengaluru style of play," he added.
We're bidding farewell to a Spanish trio that played a more than massive part in the Blues' successful 2017-18 campaign across three competitions. #GraciasAmigos #WeAreBFC pic.twitter.com/jv2SU5sHJX
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) June 1, 2018
Bengaluru FC earlier bid farewell to Spaniard Daniel Segovia, Toni Dovale and Victor Perez. They need to make some crunch signings soon to pose a big challenge in the AFC Cup.
Last week, defender Nishu Kumar and striker Thongkhosiem Haokip signed two-year extensions with the club. Both were key in BFC's progress to the AFC Cup knockouts.
Nishu joined the club in 2015 and scored a 90th minute winner in the group stage game against New Radiant at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium and finished the season with two more goals against Abahani Dhaka.
Thongkhosiem, also known as Semboi Haokip, was signed by the Blues from the ISL draft in 2017. He struck three goals in the AFC Cup group stages.
Source: BFC Media