Mohun Bagan defender Syed Rahim Nabi, who was named the AIFF Player of the Year in December 2012, has caught t... Read More

MUMBAI: Mohun Bagan defender Syed Rahim Nabi , who was named the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year in December 2012, has caught the attention of Major League Soccer (MLS) team DC United . The 27-year old, it is learnt, is likely to fly to Washington in early September this year for a trial.

Sources told TOI on Thursday that talks are on with DC United for an early September trial. DC United showed interested in Nabi for trials immediately as their season is in progress. However due to personal reasons, Nabi has requested for a later date with IMG-R. "Nabi is expected to go for trials in September and if selected then a possible playing opportunity with the club next season," a source said.

Nabi is understandably very happy about the new development. "I have just come to know about it. IMG has informed us and a few of us may be going to the US for trials." The fearless wingback said that his national team colleagues Nirmal Chhetri, Gourmangi Singh may also be making the trip.

"DC United has seen my video clips and apparently that has evoked a lot of interest. It has been a childhood dream to play abroad. I will give my best in the trials so that I can grab a contract," he said. IMG-Reliance, the marketing and commercial partner of the AIFF, is understood to be in discussion with a few foreign clubs to explore options to provide opportunities to its contracted players ahead of the proposed new tournament scheduled early next year.

"The IMG-R JV is in discussion with a few clubs internationally for their player's trials," the source added. "They (IMG-R) have reached out to international clubs and are finalizing individual engagements abroad."

The opportunity for Nabi to head to MLS is a result of the initiative.

Over the last two months, IMG-R has been working to sign Indian players and have enrolled close to 35 in the Grade I and the Grade II Category. Notable names such as Baichung Bhutia , Subrata Paul, Syed Nabi, Ishfaq Ahmed, Gouramangi Singh, Renedy Singh, NP Pradeep, Sushil Kumar Singh, Sanju Pradhan, M Wadoo, Sandesh Jhingan, Surkumar Singh, M Rafi, Tomba Singh, Nirmal Chhetri among others have been signed up in the Grade I Category, it is learnt. The I-League clubs, however, are unwilling to sign the players who are roped in by IMG-R.

These players are likely to go through a programme that will include training and conditioning camps. Trials with international clubs is also likely to be part of the programme.

Nabi is also hoping that the current impasse between the clubs and AIFF over the newly-proposed tournament will be broken soon once the parties sit together. "I have heard there will be a meeting soon. Things will be sorted out there, I guess," the defender, who is a key player in the Bagan set-up, observed. Nabi lost crucial playing time last season as he was injured during I-League's Kolkata derby and the subsequent ban on Bagan.