Hyderabad Football Club signs local boy Abhinav

Hyderabad: Abhinav Mulagada became the first local player to sign for Hyderabad Football Club. The HFC signed 16-year-old goalkeeper to a long-term deal. With the aim of providing a platform for the development of talented local youngsters, HFC who scouted Abhinav during the local trials conducted in April, gave the big break for the custodian. […]

Hyderabad: Abhinav Mulagada became the first local player to sign for Hyderabad Football Club. The HFC signed 16-year-old goalkeeper to a long-term deal.

With the aim of providing a platform for the development of talented local youngsters, HFC who scouted Abhinav during the local trials conducted in April, gave the big break for the custodian.

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“As all youngsters, I’ve always wanted to play for a big club like Hyderabad FC from my hometown. I’m excited to deliver on the pitch and honoured to wear these colours,” said Abhinav after completing the formalities.

The youngster who becomes the first Hyderabad-based player to sign on professional terms with HFC, started off with Senrab FC (London) as a kid in 2014 and was involved in Sunday league football at a young age. He spent time at the Leyton Orient academy in London, before spending six months at the Chelsea Academy U15s at the Cobham Training ground under Yves Ma-Kalambay in 2016 and 2017.

Abhinav, who stands at over six feet tall, also trained with the West Ham United academy in 2017-18 before moving to India and joining ATK’s youth teams where he trained under former India keeper Tanumoy Basu.