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Chennai: Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC are delighted to announce the signing of 26-year-old Edwin Vanspaul from I-League side Chennai City FC (CCFC) on a permanent move subject to transfer window regulations. Edwin joins Chennaiyin on a two-year contract from CCFC.

Hailing from Neyveli township in Tamil Nadu, Edwin moves to Chennaiyin after three seasons at Chennai City FC, with whom he recently won the 2018-19 I-League title. Edwin played in all their 20 league games in the previous campaign, starting in 19 of them, proving to be a vital cog in their title-winning wheel.

“I feel I have made the right move in my career, at the right time. I always believe that learning never stops and I look forward to learning more with my new teammates under Head Coach John Gregory. And having familiar faces around me like Sabir (Pasha) Coach, (Dhanpal) Ganesh and (Sinivasan) Pandiyan will surely help me. I am also waiting to connect with the fans of the club and repaying their support with good performances on the pitch,” said an excited Edwin on his transfer to Chennaiyin FC.

Starting his career as a striker, Edwin has been deployed as a central midfielder, winger, right-back and left-back over the years. He played majority of last season with CCFC at right-back.

“Edwin brings versatility and experience to our ranks. He was a pivotal player in Chennai City’s title winning side. And being from Tamil Nadu himself, he will be well aware of the responsibilities that come with representing a team from the state. We’re truly delighted to have him on board,” said Head Coach John Gregory on CFC’s new signing.

Edwin began his career with a short stint as striker for the Food Corporation of India (FCI) team in the Chennai Football Association (CFA) Senior Division League in 2010. Impressed with what they saw, another CFA Senior Division side Indian Bank signed him shortly after, where his coach for three years was current CFC Assistant Coach Syed Sabir Pasha.

“I remember Edwin being a raw talent at Indian Bank. He has come a long way since then and has always showcased the eagerness to learn. He is a technically strong player and we expect him to hit the ground running next season,” said Pasha on Edwin’s arrival.

After Indian Bank, Edwin went on to represent semi-pro outfit Chennai FC before joining Chennai City FC in 2016. He cemented his place in the CCFC starting lineup, scoring eight goals in a total of 22 appearances over the 2016 and 2017 CFA Senior Division League campaigns. His three-year spell at the club culminated in an I-League trophy last season. Edwin also started in all the three games in CCFC’s run to the 2019 Super Cup semis last month.

Interestingly, CFC fan favourite Dhanpal Ganesh is a close friend of Edwin’s from childhood. The two represented Cuddalore district in their formative years as footballers and even played together in CCFC’s first I-League campaign in 2016-17. Current Chennaiyin goalkeeper Karanjit Singh was also on loan with CCFC that season. CFC’s other Tamil Nadu midfielder Sinivasan Pandiyan has also played alongside Edwin in the previous two seasons at CCFC, the latter while on loan from the ISL side.