Indian women's football team midfielder Manisha Kalyan has signed a two-year contract with Cyprus's champion club Apollon Ladies FC.
With the move, Kalyan is set to become the first Indian player to play in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
The Cypriot club will participate in the Round 1 qualifying playoff for the UEFA Women's Champions League and are set to take on Latvia's Riga FC on August 18.
Kalyan won the AIFF Emerging Player award in 2021 after cementing her place in the senior national team. Kalyan who hails from Hoshiarpur district in Punjab came through India's age-group teams.
The 20-year-old has scored four times for the national team, most notably against Brazil in November 2021. A move to Europe should further help her aid her progress as a player.
On the other hand, Kalyan's senior teammate, striker Dangmei Grace has also secured a move abroad, joining Uzbekistan's FC Nasaf Qarshi on a six-month deal.
Grace who has been with the senior national team since 2013 featured for Gokulam Kerala FC in the Hero Indian Women's League but will now be heading to Uzbekistan for a short stint.
Grace who hails from Manipur grew up idolizing Indian football legend Bem Bem Devi and won the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award in 2019.
( With inputs from ANI )
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