The Indian Super League shield winners from last season have had a pretty quiet offseason as they have not been that active in the market. However they have decided to break the shackles and have announced the home coming of Brazilian midfielder Wellington Priori. The lanky Brazilian was a part of the Men of Steel side in their inaugural year in the ISL and will now return to India after four years.
Priori who stands at 6ft 3 inches will be a proper handful for opposition defenders as he moves with decent speed and has that samba panache to his game. The 32-year-old will surely be looking to replicate his past performances as he played a big role in helping Jamshedpur FC finish in a respectable position. They were almost in the playoffs but then they dropped off. However now having won the league winner’s shield, the Men of Steel are eager to hold on to the base formed by Owen Coyle as new coach Aidy Boothroyd is trying to implement his ideas aswell.
Priori can be a very vital player for the Jamshedpur FC as they lost their talisman in Greg Stewart. While Priori may not come up such major output in terms of goals and assists, he will try to make sure that the ball keeps flowing from midfield to attack and the linkup happens smoothly.
The Brazilian midfielder can feature as an attacking midfielder or a holding defensive midfielder allowing Boothroyd with a lot of flexibility. Priori is highly experienced having plied his trade in countries like Brazil, Thailand, South Korea and even had a stint with Abahani in Bangladesh. The midfielder came to Indian shores first to join NorthEast United.
He joined Jamshedpur FC back in 2016 and had a decent enough season where he scored a bicycle kick against NorthEast United and a sensational volley against Chennaiyin FC. He will be hoping that he can start a new journey in his second stint and leave behind enough memories for the Jamshedpur FC fans.
“I am coming back home where I belong. The time I spent with the club was amazing, and I am thrilled to be playing again at the furnace before the loyal and passionate Jamshedpur fans. Working with Aidy Boothroyd, who has abundant experience, will definitely help us succeed as a team. I will work hard with my teammates to win more silverware for Jamshedpur,” Priori shared after putting pen to paper.
Boothroyd also puts Pirori in high regards as he pointed out how the midfielder has goal scoring ability and good ball control alongwith ISL experience which will help the Men of Steel in the upcoming season. “Wellington has all the attributes which you look for in a midfielder – he is technical, good with the ball, gets goals, and has experience of playing in the ISL. He is coming home, having played for the club earlier and will help him to hit the ground running,” Boothroyd concluded.
