Chennaiyin FC retains Karanjit, Jeje

While Jeje Lalpekhlua is Chennaiyin FC’s all-time second highest scorer and ISL’s all-time highest Indian scorer with 13 goals in 27 starts, Karanjit was picked up by the team in 2015 and since then he has made 13 appearances for the club and has also maintained four clean sheets. 

Karanjit has also played for Chennai City FC in the I-League after the domestic club secured the services of the goalkeeper from the ISL club on loan. Talking to DT Next, Karanjit said he was happy to sign an extension with Chennaiyin. 

“Chennai is my second home. I played for both Chennaiyin and Chennai City and I love being a part of the growing Chennai football culture. I am comfortable with the city now and I had no second thoughts in playing for a champion club like Chennaiyin when they wanted to sign an extension with me,” the goalkeeper said. 

Karanjit said the camaraderie within the players in the club made it easy for him to be a part of the team. “We have a good bond amongst us. We are a champion team and we have shown how we can win the title with exceptional performance and good team work. That is what is special about Chennaiyin,” he explained. 

The goalkeeper added that he was looking forward to welcoming the new coach John Gregory onboard. 

“I am looking forward to working under John. It would be his first time in India. I am hoping to learn new things as he is from England where his ideas and strategies would be different. It would help us as players in the long run too. 

While we are gunning to bring the trophy back to Chennai and being John’s first year in India, both the players and the coach would be bullish about an exceptional performance and we hope we can do wonders,” he added. 

Chennaiyin FC coach John Gregory, in a statement, said, “I have received great feedback on both Jeje and Karanjit from our assistant coach Sabir (Pasha), owners and rest of the Indian staff. They are clearly two of the best players in their respective positions in India and securing them for the long term was a key aspect of our team building.”