North East United Football Club player Ion Arrospide Gaztanaga (R) and Roy Krishna tussle for the ball. (Crdit: AFP)
The Fijian joined the Odisha side on a free transfer amidst rumours of him leaving for the A-League yet again.
Veteran ISL striker Roy Krishna has officially joined Odisha FC on a free transfer, leaving behind his former club Bengaluru FC.
The 35-year-old parted ways with his former club Bengaluru FC at the end of last season. He was expected to make a return back to A-League side Wellington Phoenix with whom he spent 5 years, netting 51 goals in 122 appearances before making the move to ATK in the ISL for the 2019-20 season.
Krishna was key to ATK’s successful ISL campaign that season, as they ended up lifting the trophy for the third time following Roy Krishna’s 15 goals that season. He continued his stellar form the following year as he found the back of the net another 16 times next season for ATK Mohun Bagan. He even won the Best Footballer of the Year 2021 from the club.
In his last season for the ATK Mohun Bagan, he had an average season, but still scored 8 goals and 5 assists. He then joined Bengaluru FC for the 2022-2023 season where he scored 10 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions.
He formed a crucial pair with Sivasakthi Narayanan in attack for Simon Grayson’s side as the Blues won the Durand Cup and finished as the runner-up in the Super Cup and the Indian Super League last year.
He now becomes the latest addition to an Odisha side that is undergoing a major rebuild this season, starting with the appointment of Sergio Lobera as their new coach.
The Fijian would be expected to figure out the best style of play under Lobera’s guidance and lead an attack with Diego Mauricio as they head into the new season.