Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri put pen to paper on a fresh one-year deal at the club, the Blues announced on Tuesday. The deal, which adds to his current contract at the club, will see the AIFF Player of the Year be a part of the JSW Group-owned side until the end of the 2020-2021 season.

Thirty-three-year old Chhetri had earlier signed a three-year deal with the Blues ahead of their move to the Indian Super League last season. Chhetri, who is the longest serving player at the club, spoke of his delight at the extension.

“I have always said that this club and these fans have been the most fantastic experience of my life and signing a new deal here is only a way of giving back to a club that has given so much to me. I’ve made some fantastic memories here and I believe there are many more to make,” he said.

Having won the club’s Top Scorer of the Year award for five consecutive seasons, Chhetri is Bengaluru’s highest goal scorer, with 71 goals in 144 appearances.

“It’s special to have Sunil Chhetri play for us. He is, by far, the fittest player around and he has proven so many times that age is just a number. We are excited to have Sunil the player, more excited to have Sunil the leader and most excited to have Sunil the enigma. His hunger, desire and passion is immense and he is the torchbearer of Indian football. For us, the club was built around Sunil and continues to do so. We hope he stays for as long as possible at BFC in the capacity of a player and beyond,” said Parth Jindal, CEO of Bengaluru FC.

Bengaluru FC are currently in pre-season training at their residential facilities in Bellary, following which they will fly out to Spain for a preseason camp. The Blues’ first competitive match of the season kicks off in less than a month, when they take on Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr FK in a two-legged Inter-Zone semifinal of the AFC Cup, on August 22 and 29.

(Bengaluru FC)