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Former ISL champions Chennaiyin FC today confirmed the signing of 23-year-old goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, who has put pen to paper on a long-term permanent deal with the club. Kaith joins the two-time Indian Super League champions from Hyderabad FC (formerly FC Pune City) for an undisclosed fee, after spending the previous three seasons at FC Pune City.
“A new chapter awaits in my career, with a champion club in Chennaiyin FC. Their rich history in the ISL made it a very easy decision for me to come here when the opportunity presented itself. I am looking forward to helping the club win more trophies in the years to come. I believe in the coach’s (John Gregory’s) plans and I am certain Chennaiyin is the right destination for me to take my game and career to the next level,” said a determined Kaith, who is currently in Goa with the Indian senior team ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
“In Vishal (Kaith), we’re adding a top modern-day goalkeeper to our ranks. He possesses all the qualities and potential to excel at the highest level. With his natural ability and quick reflexes, I am certain Vishal (Kaith) will provide healthy competition in our goalkeeping department as we collectively work towards achieving success in the coming campaign,” said Head Coach John Gregory on the club’s latest arrival.
Kaith, who hails from Rohru town in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, was initially spotted by the state-level football setup. He was then nurtured by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Elite Academy from 2011 to 2014. The 6’2″ goalkeeper later joined I-League outfit Shillong Lajong FC and played there for three subsequent seasons, making a name for himself as a budding young custodian. During his Lajong tenure, he also had a loan spell at FC Pune City for the 2016 ISL campaign.
Kaith subsequently made his move to Pune permanent, and was instrumental in FC Pune City reaching the 2017-18 ISL semis, contributing with seven clean sheets in 17 appearances that season.
Kaith has progressed through the youth ranks and represented India at the U-16, U-19 and U-23 levels, also recently receiving call-ups to the senior national team squad. At the 2018 SAFF Championships in which the India U-23s finished runners-up, he kept clean sheets against Sri Lanka and Maldives in the group games.
CFC’s eighth summer signing will join the squad in Ahmedabad for pre-season following his duties with the Indian national team.
