ISL champions East Bengal FC are on the verge of adding one of Indian football's most dependable wide players to their ranks, with Manipur-born right-sided midfielder Boris Singh Thangjam having agreed to a multi-year deal with the Red and Gold Brigade. The 25-year-old, who spent the last two seasons at FC Goa, is expected to earn in the region of ₹60 lakh per season plus performance-related bonuses, with the transfer subject to the completion of his medical and final paperwork. For a club building on the momentum of a first ISL title, the timing and profile of the signing fit a clear sporting logic.

Boris brings with him a versatility that modern wing-back systems demand. Comfortable operating as a right wing-back or pushed further forward as a winger, his pace and attacking intent give coaches genuine tactical flexibility without sacrificing defensive discipline. His profile is some distance from the niche world of, say, best bandy betting online - but in the transfer market for Indian football's wide positions, a player of his experience and range represents exactly the kind of calculated investment that title-chasing clubs must make. Over the course of the 2025-26 campaign, he featured in 24 matches for Goa across all competitions, accumulating 1,854 minutes of football and playing all six of the club's AFC Champions League Two group-stage fixtures.

His journey to this point has been built steadily, without shortcuts. Boris came through the AIFF Elite Academy as part of the cohort groomed for India's hosting of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, a generation that has since filtered into the ISL in meaningful numbers. After the tournament, he joined Indian Arrows and then moved to ATK, where regular minutes proved hard to come by - a stint that continued into the club's merger to form ATK Mohun Bagan. The turning point arrived in 2021 when he joined Jamshedpur FC, where he nailed down a starting berth and appeared 41 times in the ISL over two seasons, contributing five goals and winning the ISL Shield with the club.

Continental Experience and a Senior Debut Add Weight to His Case

When Boris signed for FC Goa in 2023, it represented a step up in terms of the club's continental ambitions, and he delivered. His involvement across AFC Champions League Two group-stage fixtures gave him exposure to the kind of competitive intensity that ISL-only experience cannot replicate. He also won back-to-back Super Cups with the Gaurs, meaning he arrives at East Bengal not as a player hungry for his first taste of success, but as one who knows what winning cultures require. On the international front, he made his senior India debut on 19 March 2025 in a friendly against the Maldives, capping a progression through the U-17 and U-20 ranks that had been a long time in the making.

Punjab FC Hold Firm as Lhungdim Stays Despite Transfer Interest

While East Bengal's incoming business draws attention, a parallel story elsewhere in the ISL transfer window has reached a quieter resolution. Punjab FC right back Khaimin Lhungdim, who attracted interest from multiple clubs following a breakthrough 2025-26 campaign under head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis, is now expected to remain at the Shers. The 26-year-old had been linked with moves to clubs in Kolkata on social media, but Punjab have moved to retain him as part of their wider project of building a young, cohesive squad ahead of the 2026-27 season. Lhungdim's composure, tactical intelligence and versatility made him one of the more quietly impressive performers in the league last term, and Punjab's determination to keep hold of him signals a club that knows its own direction.

East Bengal's Recruitment Reflects Title-Winner Ambition

For East Bengal, securing Boris Singh would mark another considered addition as the club seeks to defend its ISL crown while also preparing for the demands of continental competition. A player with AFC experience, title medals and senior international recognition does not come available every window - and at 25, he enters what should be the most productive years of his career. Pending a clean bill of health from his medical, the Red and Gold Brigade look set to add genuine quality to their right flank.