Shillong Lajong FC has recruited six new foreign players from Africa and Asia ahead of the I-League 2017-18 season.
The officials of the club said that the addition of the new signings will help strengthen the young Lajong squad as they bring with them many years of experience playing in top professional leagues.
The Reds will be enriched by the centre forward Abdoulaye Koffi from Ivory Coast, Laurence Doe from Liberia, Daniel Odafin from Nigeria, Saihou CH Jagne who holds dual citizenship of Sweden and Gambia, attacking midfielder Aiman Salah Al-Hagri from Yemen and Oh Juho from the Republic of Korea.
“We are happy to have completed the formalities of signing our six foreigners for the upcoming I-League season. Unlike previous years, this year we have decided to exhaust our entire quota of foreign players that a club can register to compliment a young and dynamic squad that is loaded with immense potential,” Shillong Lajong FC managing director Larsing Ming Sawyan said.
Ming also expressed hope that the Shillong based side will do better. “We look forward to an exciting brand of football this season and hope to put up a strong challenge for the I-League. Our fans are going to witness the unveiling of the next generation of Lajong players which in my personal opinion will be the best that we have produced so far,” he added.
The 25-year-old Abdoulaye Koffi was the top scorer of the Egyptian second division for Grand Hotel FC scoring 26 goals from 44 appearances during the 2010-11. He also played in the Oman and Saudi professional leagues. He was the second top goal scorer in the Oman Professional League for Al-Suwaiq in the 2015-16 season striking 23 goals from 32 game appearances.
Thirty-year-old centre-back Laurence Doe is a former Equatorial Guinea International having played 21 games in total and scored 2 goals. The right footed defender has won major titles in Mali, Equatorial Guinea and Oman.
The 28-year-old defensive midfielder Daniel Odafin was involved with several clubs in Middle East countries. Daniel Odafin has also won the best midfielder award in the 2013-14 season for Shabab Al-Sahel (Lebanese Premier League) and also were runners up in the FA Cup and Super Cup during the same season.
Saihou Jagne has represented the Sweden U-17 team and Gambia senior team. Earlier, the 30-year-old striker played for Fateh Hyderabad. He has gone to have stints in Väsby United in 2007, AIK in 2008-10 season and also won the Swedish League in 2009 with AIK including the Swedish Cup and Swedish Super Cup. Between 2010 to 2015, he has been associated with various clubs in Sweden, Finland and Norway.
Aiman Salah Al-Hagri is a versatile and skilful player who can play up top or attack from the wings. The 24-year-old is a very important member of the Yemen national football team having made 19 appearances for his country so far.
Central defender Oh Juho has represented the U-18 and U-23 national teams. The 25-year-old, who is 6.2 ft, has played in Korean leagues since 2008 and has also played for National Police Commissary FC, a top level of Cambodian League in 2016.
