ISL Transfer Watch: Chennaiyin FC sign local lad Ajith Kumar from Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru, July 28: Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC (CFC) have signed local boy Ajith Kumar ahead of the upcoming season.

The Chennai-born defender will be joining his home side following a two-year stint at Bengaluru FC.

The 25-year-old, who usually plays in the left-back position, featured in 13 matches in the last two ISL seasons for Bengaluru FC.

He also played in four AFC Cup as well as five Durand Cup matches for them.

Ajith is returning to the city where he began his professional career. In 2018, he made his professional debut with Chennai City FC and went on to play a crucial role in the club's maiden I-League title-winning campaign, appearing in all 20 league games.

"Feels good to come back to Chennai, but this time as a Chennaiyin FC player. I can't wait to play in front of the home fans," Ajith told CFC Media on returning to home city.

During his two-year stint with Chennai City, Ajith made 42 appearances across competitions, including Super Cup and AFC Cup.

Welcoming Ajith into the club, CFC co-owner Vita Dani said: "We always love it when we bring a performing Chennai player back to this city and that's exactly what Ajith Kumar is."

CFC will be eyeing a better show this time as in the 2020-21 ISL season, the Yellow Brigade finished a poor eighth and failed to make it to the play-offs.

They had started the ISL 2021-22 season under Bozidar Bandovic before the well-travelled Montenegrin coach and the club decided to part ways midway through the campaign following a string of poor results.

Ex-India international Sabir Pasha then took over the Yellow Brigade on an interim basis.Recently they roped in Thomas Brdaric as the new head coach of the club ahead of the upcoming season.

In his most recent spell, the German coach led KF Vllaznia to the Albanian Cup for two successive seasons.

The team had also finished runners up in the Albanian Championship in the 2020-21 season.