Anwar played 26 games for Mohun Bagan in 2023–24, scoring three goals and providing one assist as the team won the Indian Super League Shield and the Durand Cup. Anwar was a vital member of the team.
The clubs are hard at work getting their teams ready for the Durand Cup, which kicks off the Indian football season of 2024–25 on July 27.The Indian National team’s defender Anwar Ali is rumored to have left Kolkata football to join Mohun Bagan Super Giants’ bitter rival East Bengal following a year-long loan from the Mariners. Last night, the center-back finalized his signing of a five-year contract with the Red-and-Gold Brigade.
With Mohun Bagan, Anwar Ali found himself in a difficult transfer situation. He moved to Kolkata on a four-year loan from Delhi FC and has been playing for the Mariners since the previous season.
He was required to complete his loan period by the conclusion of the following season, though, since a player cannot be loaned for longer than a year under the new FIFA regulations.
At its 72nd Congress in Doha, Qatar, in March 2022, FIFA accepted the rules. It did, however, give clubs all around the world time to implement the rules.
“A three-year period will be given to FIFA’s member associations at the domestic level to establish regulations for a lending system that align with the global standards,” the statement read.
Under Anwar’s circumstances, that window would have ended the next year. In order to terminate the loan early, the player wrote to the club, but ultimately, a permanent move was not possible.
Anwar competed in the FIFA U-17 World Cup as a member of the Indian team. He made his senior team debut in March 2022 and, along with Sandesh Jhingan, has established himself as a staple for the National team as a center-back combination.
With the Blue Tigers, he has already taken home three trophies: the SAFF Championship, the Intercontinental Cup, and the Tri-Nations competition.
He made 26 appearances for Mohun Bagan in the 2023–24 season, scoring three goals and providing one assist, and helping the team win the Indian Super League Shield and the Durand Cup.
Before the season starts, Anwar would be East Bengal’s sixth acquisition. Among the major additions made by the team thus far are Dimitrios Diamantakos (who won the Indian Super League Golden Boot the previous season), David Lalhansanga (who scored the most goals in the Denmark Cup 2023), Madih Talal, and Debjit Majumder.
