Jessel Carneiro pens three-year extension with Kerala Blasters

Jessel Carneiro has signed a three-year extension with the Indian Super League (ISL) club Kerala Blasters FC on Wednesday.

One of the revelations from ISL 2019-20, Jessel was a mainstay at the back for Kerala and provided five assists, made 78 clearances, 28 tackles, 22 blocks and 22 interceptions for the Blasters last season.

"I aim to be a part of the team when the club lifts their first ISL Trophy. Kerala Blasters FC gave me an opportunity to prove myself and I hope to put in my best efforts and align with the goals of the club for the upcoming seasons too. This is a new beginning for me and I am looking forward to working with our new head coach, Kibu Vicuna," Carneiro said after extending his stay with Kerala.

Kerala Blasters' head coach Kibu Vicuna also expressed his elation after Carneiro signed his contract extension.

"Jessel is one of the top Indian left-backs in the country. He had a fantastic season last year and is a very important player for our team. We are very happy to have him extend his stay with the club," he said.

The 29-year-old defender is a versatile player with tons of experience and began his career with Dempo SC. Jessel has also played in the Goa Professional League and captained Goa during the 2018-19 Santosh Trophy. He joined Kerala Blasters from Dempo last season and was one of the few players from Kerala to have a positive impact on the team.

The Indian left-back made 18 appearances for Kerala last season - the most by any player in the team - and played every minute for the club. He also recorded the most passes (746) among players from Kerala and was a major threat to opposition defences while going forward.

No Kerala player provided more than his five assists in ISL 2019-20, making him one of their most creative forces in the attack. After a fine ISL debut season, he will be looking to improve further in the upcoming campaign under Kerala's new head coach Vicuna.

( With inputs from ANI )