East Bengal Sign Jay Gupta in Record Deal, Complete Foreign Roster Overhaul Ahead of New Season

East Bengal have secured the services of Indian full-back Jay Gupta from FC Goa on a multi-year deal, marking a major domestic acquisition for the Kolkata giants ahead of the 2025–26 season. The 23-year-old joins the Red-and-Gold Brigade in what FC Goa described as a “club record fee for an Indian player,” reportedly exceeding ₹1 crore.

Initially shortlisted alongside Abhishek Singh Tekcham, East Bengal shifted their focus to Gupta after the asking price for Tekcham inflated. The club moved swiftly to close the deal, landing one of the most promising young defenders in Indian football.

“FC Goa have reached an agreement with East Bengal FC for the transfer of defender Jay Gupta, a club record fee for an Indian player,” the Goan club announced in a statement. “We’d like to thank Jay for an incredible two years in the orange and blue, a journey that saw us reach back-to-back semifinals and lift the Kalinga Super Cup. Wishing you nothing but the best for your next chapter, Jay.”

Gupta made 41 Indian Super League appearances for the Gaurs, playing a key role under head coach Manolo Marquez. He capped off his stint with the club by lifting the Super Cup earlier this year and now becomes a pivotal domestic addition for East Bengal, whose foreign signings have also been finalized.

Following a disappointing previous season—missing out on the ISL playoffs and falling short in the Super Cup final—East Bengal have opted for a complete foreign overhaul. The club has parted ways with Messi Bouli, Hijazi Maher, Madih Talal, and Hector Yuste.

In their place, East Bengal have brought in four international recruits: Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira, Palestinian international Mohammed Rashid, Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad, and Argentine centre-back Kevin Sibille.

Figueira reunites with head coach Oscar Bruzon, with whom he won three consecutive league titles at Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings. Sibille, a River Plate Academy graduate, arrives from Spanish third-division side Ponferradina and is expected to anchor the defense in Maher’s absence.

Rashid, a key figure in Palestine’s historic AFC Asian Cup run to the Round of 16, strengthens the midfield, while Ahadad joins the frontline alongside 2023–24 ISL Golden Boot winner Dimitrios Diamantakos, bolstering East Bengal’s attack.

With six foreign players—the maximum allowed—now in place, East Bengal appear to have completed their squad restructuring. While the official Durand Cup squad is yet to be named, most of the newly signed first-team players are expected to feature as the club looks to bounce back stronger in the new season.