Who is Sandesh Jhingan? All about Indian footballer who joined Croatia's HNK Sibenik

Sandesh Jhingan will become the first Indian footballer to play in Croatia's top-tier league Prva HNL after completing a move from ATK Mohun Bagan to HNK Sibenik. The Indian player has officially completed the move, after undergoing a medical test with the Croatian club on Tuesday. Here is a deeper look at who is Sandesh Jhingan, the man who was named India's footballer of the year last month.

Who is Sandesh Jhingan? Indian footballer joins HNK Sibenik

Sandesh Jhingan began his youth career at St. Stephen's Football Academy in Chandigarh before joining top division side United Sikkim in 2011. Jhingan, as a 21-year-old, was deemed the emerging player of the Indian Super League (ISL) in its inaugural season in 2014. Following his impressive season in the ISL, he earned a place in the Indian National Team and made his debut in 2015 against Nepal at the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

And now, Jhingan has joined HNK Sibenik on Wednesday as per an official statement from the club. The Indian footballer is set to leave ATK Mohun Bagan despite signing a five-year contract with them just last year. However, because of a clause, he was able to terminate his contract with the ISL outfit.

HNK Sibenik delighted to have Sandesh Jhingan join them

After Sandesh Jhingan officially signed for HNK Sibenik, club CEO Francisco Cardona expressed his delight to have the Indian footballer in his team. Cardona said, "We expect good things from him as we have followed him on different platforms where we were able to see his past performances. Although, we know the adaptation process might take him a few weeks, we are confident that with his quality and leadership, he will become an important member of the team." Cardona also appreciated Jhingan's attitude for watching HNK Sibenik's last game from the stands. "He made a very good impression on the staff and fans of the club when he was watching the last home game from the stands. He showed passion and energy for the team," concluded Cardona.

Sandesh Jhingan is excited to play for HNK Sibenik

After the transfer of Sandesh Jhingan from ATK Mohun Bagan to HNK Sibenik was official, the Indian footballer expressed how excited he was to embark on the new journey. "I think I am at a stage of my career where I really want to test myself at the highest level possible, and I think this is the perfect platform for me. As I have said, it has been my desire to play in Europe, and I have taken up this challenge upon myself," said Jhingan.