Robinho to Rashid — Top signings in Indian football before 2025-26 season

Robinho to Rashid — Top signings in Indian football before 2025-26 season

The Indian Super League (ISL) has risen from being a three-month tournament to the premier division of men’s football in the country over the last decade.

Though its 2025-26 season has remained uncertain, some clubs have continued doing business as usual, building the squad before the Durand Cup, which will be followed by the Super Cup, scheduled in September.

With the summer transfer window ending on Tuesday, Sportstar looks at the top signings in Indian football this season:

Mohun Bagan Super Giant was desperately on the lookout for a winger-cum-attacking midfielder after releasing Greg Stewart last season.

The Brazilian Robson Robinho, who had a memorable stint in the Bangladesh Premier League between 2020 and 2024, proved to be the answer.

The 30-year-old, who previously played for Brazilian giant Fluminense, won seven titles with Bashundhara Kings in three years, scoring 64 times and assisting 49 more in 97 appearances.

With Jason Cummings, Jamie Maclaren and Robinho, the Mariners look set to have a power-packed arsenal for next season.

Javier Siverio, who previously worked with Manolo Marquez in both Spain and India, has followed him to Goa. From their days at UD Las Palmas to the ISL, this will be their third association. Siverio helped Marquez win the Indian Super League at Hyderabad FC in 2021.

It was no surprise that the Spaniard, who had helped Jamshedpur reach the ISL semifinal and the Super Cup final last season, was roped in by Marquez at FC Goa.

And in his first appearance for the Gaurs, he made his mark, scoring the decisive goal against Al Seeb from Oman and sealing a spot in the AFC Champions League Two for the ISL side.

Siverio is adept at set-pieces and his poacher’s instincts inside the penalty box will make him a valuable asset for Goa.

East Bengal, one of India’s most successful clubs, has failed to live up to its reputation in the ISL so far.

And after finishing ninth last season, it decided to strengthen the squad, signing Palestine international Mohammed Bassim Ahmed Rashid on a free transfer.

Rashid was a key member of the Palestinian side that reached the round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup last year, the country’s best performance in the continental tournament.

Playing primarily as a defensive midfielder, Rashid has played in four of East Bengal’s five matches this season and has a goal, against the Indian Air Force Football Team, in a 6-1 win in the Durand Cup.

Rashid’s strength lies in his ball-winning capability, which binds well with another of East Bengal’s new signings, Miguel Figueira, giving the squad greater composure both with and without the ball.

NorthEast United FC decided to shuffle its pack before starting its Durand Cup title-defence, allowing important foreigners Nestor Albiach (former club captain), Hamza Regragui and Mohammed Ali Bemammer to leave for free.

The replacements — Jairo Sampeiro, Chema Nunez and Andy Rodriguez — have all borne fruit, with four goals and three assists among them in the Durand Cup as the side became the first team to defend the title since 1991.

Andy was the standout signing for the Highlanders, as he scored two goals and set up another, including a strike in the final.

The Real Madrid Academy product has cemented his spot in the midfield, and his attacking runs on the counter make him a potent weapon to pair with star striker Alaaeddine Ajaraie up front.

Abhishek Singh Tekcham, a product of Minerva Academy, turned heads when he made his debut for the national team aged just 20 under Manolo Marquez, while impressing against Thailand and Hong Kong.

His rise sparked a transfer battle between two Kolkata giants, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant, with FC Goa joining the race later. It was Bagan which finally secured his services, signing him on a four-year deal, and as a potential successor to captain Subhasish Bose.

Abhishek, a full-back, can play on both flanks, giving Bagan an effective substitute to Asish Rai in the right-back position.

Moreover, his overlapping runs make him a potential wing-back during counters, one that Jose Molina — the Bagan coach — will look to use, having lost Ashique Kuruniyan — who he employed in a similar role — this summer.

Published on Sep 01, 2025