It is a huge blow for Indian Super League outfit SC East Bengal as they are set to lose two of their foreign players. Reports on Goal.com suggests that the Red and Golds have mutually terminated the contract of German midfielder, Matti Steinmann. The former Wellington Phoenix midfielder was one of the better players for a lacklustre East Bengal side.
Steinmann joined the club last season on a two-year contract and now it is understood that he has departed the Kolkata-based club after only a single year’s service. The German midfielder was promised to receive a higher salary had he stayed for the second season. However, reports suggest that the German has left due to the constant tussle between the club officials and investor party Shree Cement Limited over signing the final draft of the agreement.
It is still unclear where the former Hamburger midfielder is headed to but rumours suggest that there are multiple clubs in Australia that are interested in the towering central midfielder. His former club Wellington Phoenix is also considered as a top club where he might end up.
Steinmann was one of the best foreign players for the Red and Golds this season. In a season where SC East Bengal lost in multiple games, conceded cheap goals, hardly had any planning, Steinman was the one who was helping in the buildup play, fending off opposition attackers and then playing those diagonal balls in for the attackers upfront. He even scored at times as he just puts his superior physical presence to great effect.
However, the misery does not end there for the Kolkata-based outfit as Nigerian forward and fan favourite Bright Enobakhare is also set to leave the club ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season. The former Wolves forward who joined the club during the January winter transfer window wanted to stay for at least another season but considering the chaos at the club Bright is also set to depart. While only he scored thrice along with an assist last season, it was his sleek footwork, exceptional skills and sensational dribbling that made him a proper fan favourite.
Shree Cement had sent out a final call on March 24th for the signature in the agreement to the club officials where they also attached the term sheet by which the agreement was drafted. The term sheet was signed way earlier which clearly mentioned the transfer of the sporting rights as well as the assets where to be transferred to the newly formed company Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation – a Joint Venture between the two parties.
However, the club officials claim that they won’t sign the agreement as they feel that there are changes in few clauses that differ in the final agreement than in the term sheet. While Shree Cement Limited has rubbished the claims and according to Goal.com they are rigid in their stance of not investing and even entering into contractual talks until the agreement is signed.
