ISL 2019-20 | City Football Group can only take football forward in India, believes Amrinder Singh

On Thursday evening, in a historic moment for Indian football, Dubai-based City Football Group completed its take over of ISL side Mumbai City FC. With 65% stake, the group has a majority stake in the Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh co-owned franchise and the duo has the remaining 35% stake. The deal brings a lot of attention to Indian football and will help to raise the football infrastructure in the country. Mumbai City is City Football Group's eighth club and the third in Asia.

English Premier League champions Manchester City is the marquee club of City Football Group and are world-class side under Pep Guardiola. Mumbai City FC's captain and custodian Amrinder Singh expressed his excitement and believe that the deal will help Indian Football forward.

“I feel this is a momentous deal. This is indeed a great moment for football in India and all the young players who are emerging to play the sport. We have seen in the last four or five years how rapid the progress has been in Indian football after the emergence of the Hero ISL. I believe City Football Group coming to India can only take football forward in our country," said Mumbai City goalkeeper and India international Amrinder Singh, ISL website reported.

Mumbai's Portuguese coach Jorge Costa, who has won the UEFA Champions league with his home side FC Porto, also showed his happiness with the deal and hoped the deal would bring a lot of expertise to Mumbai City as well as ISL.

“I am very proud to be part of this. I am very happy and excited. This will be wonderful for Mumbai City and also for Hero ISL. I think they can bring us a lot of expertise to help the club first and then the Hero ISL. I think we still have a lot of work to do to improve the quality of the Hero ISL. Comparing to last year we are improving. It is a gradual process,” said the Portuguese coach.

Mumbai City are currently seventh on the table with five points. The Islanders association, with the City Football Group, might bring their first-ever ISL title soon and their best performance in the league is their qualification to the playoffs in 2016 and 2018.