I-League: Gokulam Kerala rope in Malian striker Saliou Guindo
Nov 30, 2020
Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], November 30 : Gokulam Kerala FC have signed Malian striker Saliou Guindo for the upcoming I-League season.
The 24-year-old forward is the final foreign signing of Malabarians and will be seen in action in the I-League campaign in Kolkata from January 9, as all the teams get set to enter the COVID-safety bubble from which they are to operate.
The forward has played leagues in Turkey, Tunisia, Cote d'Ivoire, Albania, and Bahrain. He has played for the Mali Under-20 team that finished third in the FIFA World Cup held in 2015.
"I am glad to sign for Gokulam Kerala FC. I have taken part in a training session already and the squad is full of young and vibrant players. I am ready to work hard and make sure that we bring the trophy back home," said Saliou in an official statement.
Saliou's best performance is in the Albanian league, where he has scored 11 goals in the 2019-20 season.
"Saliou is a quality striker. He has the skills to score with right and left foot. He is very fast. He has 11 goals in the Albanian league, which is a top-level league," said GKFC head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese.
"He has also played for Mali national team. He is young and has the quality to become the top scorer in India," Annese added.
Meanwhile, the Kerala based club has kickstarted their pre-season amidst a highly-controlled COVID-safety environment in Kozhikode.
The club from the southern state has resumed training activities after the state-wide COVID-19 lockdown ended on October 31, 2020, while following the Standard Operating Procedures that have been put in place by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for its tournaments.
