Bengaluru, Sept. 25: I League side Real Kashmir FC have made a real transfer recoup ahead of the new campaign signing British citizen and football diplomat Kashif Siddiqi - who has been loaned to the club by UK-based side Oxford United.

Kashmir's Scottish Manager David Robertson reportedly used his UK connection to secure the deal and the defender is expected to be available for training within this month.

Siddiqi becomes the second new foreign signing for Real Kashmir FC in I-League after Kallum Higginbotham. They have retained the core from the last season which includes five foreigners Mason Robertson, Aaron Katebe, Loveday Enyinnaya, Gnohero Krizo, and Bazie Armand. But this transfer has brought in big headlines due to the former star presence of the player.

A defender by trade and primarily a right-back, we look at three major highlights of his career:

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1) An ex-Arsenal academy player and has experience of playing in the USA and UAE

He is also one of a handful of British South Asians to have made it in the professional ranks in the UK. Born in Hammersmith to an Indian father and a Ugandan mother his football journey started as an Arsenal academy player and Wycombe Wanderers in his youth. He although started playing in the UK first for lower division clubs like Hayes FC, Yeading FC and Boston United.

Siddiqi before moving to the United States, played for lower-division teams like Springfield Demize, Eckerd Tritons and Presbyterian Blue Hose. His most notable break came when he joined UAE Gulf Pro League outfit Al-Wasl. His stint in the UAE was followed again by a brief season in the United States, as he returned to England joining Northampton Town. He joined Oxford United last month in a player/ambassadorial role and now will be playing in India for the I League side.

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2) He is internationally a Pakistani player

Although he does not have any roots from Pakistan however he had represented the neighbour in the 2008 SAFF Championships against India, Nepal, and Maldives apart from representing their U-23 team in the 2008 Olympic Qualifiers against Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar as an overseas British South Asian footballer. In an earlier interview, he although had claimed that at that point he was approached by the Indian government too to play for them however with the footballer, not willing to give up his British passport he rejected the idea.

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3) He is a football diplomat and co-founder of Football For Peace organization

Siddiqi is very much active off the field and in 2013 co-founded the international Football for Peace campaign, which applies the power of football to intervene and raise consciousness of the planets most constraining issues by combining community-based activity with diplomatic impact. He has worked along with football legends like Jermain Defoe, Robbie Savage, Ally McCoist, Harry Redknapp and Sol Campbell etc to hold meetings, charity matches to raise awareness regarding issues like racism, peace and fight against terrorism etc.