After agreeing to terms with HNK Sibenik, a high division club in Croatia, Sandesh Jhingan will now be able to pursue his goal of playing in Europe. The 28-year-old has consistently stated that he wants to play in Europe. He had been pushing for it for the past two years, but preparations were thwarted by a long-term ACL injury and then the Covid epidemic.
However, Croatia, Austria, and Greece have expressed interest this time. And it appears that he will join the Croatian team that competes alongside UEFA Champions League regulars Dynamo Zagreb soon.
About the Centre Back
Jhingan’s ambition of joining HMK has finally come true after a year of attempting to travel to Europe. Another Indian footballer played a role in making it happen a few years back. It was none other than Sunil Chhetri, and it is safe to assume that Jhingan will follow in Chhetri’s footsteps.
He is an Indian professional who plays center defender for ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League and the Indian national team. Jhingan, who was born in Chandigarh.
HMK Sibenik, on the other hand, is a club that was promoted to the top tier of Croatian football for the 2019-20 season. They presently sit in sixth place at the league table.
His Career till Now
Since being named Emerging Player of the Year in 2014, Jhingan, 28, has come a long way. He’s risen through the ranks to become national coach Igor Stimac’s most trusted defender.
In 2014, he was named the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year, and in 2015, he made his national team debut. In 2019, he suffered an ACL injury while playing for India in a friendly against NorthEast United, which forced him to miss the entire 2019-20 season.
Jhingan returned to competitive activity in November of last year after a 13-month layoff and was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2020 for his great achievements in football. He is also the recipient of the AIFF Men’s Player of the Year Award for the 2020–21 season.
Although this is good news for Indian football in general, it puts the Mariners in a difficult situation only days before their AFC Cup campaign begins. Hugo Boumous, Liston Colaco, and Finnish midfielder Joni Kauko are among the latest arrivals for the club. Nonetheless, the loss of Jhingan in the middle of the defense will be felt heavily.
