ISL 2019 | Reports : ATK on verge of signing Michael Soosairaj from Jamshedpur FC

According to reports by TOI, the young sensation of Jamshedpur FC has been offered a three-year contract with the 24-year-old making around Rs 1.2 crores each year at the Kolkata-based club. 

"The total package is around Rs 4.5 crores for three years, which includes the buyout clause money. Soosai has already accepted their token money of Rs 20 lakh and put in a transfer request last Monday. He is expected to sign for ATK soon," said a highly-placed ATK source, reported TOI.

It would make Soosairaj the ninth Indian footballer to enter the crorepati club after Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandesh Jhingan, Amrinder Singh, CK Vineeth, Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Anas Edathodika. He would also be drawing four times the salary he was doing at Jamshedpur, as per reports.

"The deal has put Jamshedpur in shock. They expected Soosai to complete his two-year contract with them. But now they are forced to release him. They had also contacted Soosai's parent club CCFC whether they wanted to match the buyout amount but CCFC answered in the negative. According to the contract, though, CCFC is supposed to get 15% of Soosai's buyout clause money," the source added.

After a forgettable 2017-18 season, the two-time ISL champions bounced back this time finishing sixth in the league and reaching the semis in the AIFF Super Cup. While the future of Steve Coppell hasn’t been clear, the club has continued their norm of bringing in elite imports like defender Pritam Kotal and winger Edu Garcia. 

Soosairaj would be expected to bring in the much-needed goals that the side has been lacking with Manuel Lanzarote left to do all the work. Playing 14 matches for JFC, Soosairaj was an important part of Cesar Ferrando’s side that finished fifth. 

"It feels nice to be recognised. But all this doesn't matter. I want to represent my country and that remains my ultimate aim," Soosai had told TOI last month.