Promising Chennaiyin FC footballer Bijay Chhetri has become first Indian to sign a contract with a Latin American Colon Futbol Club, Uruguay. He will be on a loan until the end of the year with Colon Futbol Club retaining the option to make the signing permanent. Chennaiyin FC co-owner Vita Dani expressed her happiness on the Bijay’s move. “We are extremely proud to see Bijay make his way to one of the world’s biggest football nations. Uruguay are forever etched in the game’s history, and Colon Futbol Club are part of that.
Marcelo Rifas, director of Colon Futbol Club, said, “When a Bijay’s profile was proposed to us, looking at his videos from the past, his profile and our internal references we got more and more confident of the player. Now we hope he can come at the earliest and get integrated into our team. We see him as a solid first team player for us. It also helps us open a line of sourcing players from a new marketplace.” Commenting on his new assignment, Bijay said” I feel so excited to get this opportunity for the new challenge in my professional career. I hope to put in good performances to enhance my game, repay the trust shown in me by Colon FC and to keep the Indian flag flying high. I am very well aware that if I do well it can pave the way for future Indian players also to move abroad into these markets.”The arrival of the first Indian player to a team in these latitudes can awaken the attention of a new market in the most populated country in the world.
Bijay Chhetri, the Chennaiyin FC defender, has become the talk of the town after his historic move to Colon FC, a Uruguayan second division club. Hailing from Manipur, Bijay started his professional career at Shillong Lajong FC. Then, he got selected for Indian Arrows and, at by the age of 22, has already played for three I-League Clubs – Chennai City, Real Kashmir, and Sreenidi Deccan being the others. Bijay’s dream was fulfilled when he was signed by Chennaiyin in the ISL. But Bijay has now taken a bold step that few Indians have taken. The Manipuri defender became the first Indian player to sign for a Latin American Club.
“Uruguay is a country that I have only read about online and have seen Uruguayan players and their national team play on television. I am very happy at Chennaiyin but when my agent told me that there was a possibility of playing in Latin America, I was interested immediately. My brother had the opportunity to go to Europe and he couldn’t take advantage of it and I see this as the possibility of fulfilling both of our dreams,” the footballer, who will be on loan until the end of the year in Colón, told the media in his country.