East Bengal will release three players — defender Anwar Ali and midfielders Jeakson Singh and Naorem Mahesh Singh — for the ongoing national camp in Bengaluru by Saturday.
East Bengal lost to Diamond Harbour FC in the Durand Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
With Mohun Bagan Super Giant refusing to release their players, newly appointed India head coach Khalid Jamil was left with 25 men out of the 35 he has called for the camp ahead of Cafa Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The camp began on August 16 with 22 players but after six days and five training sessions, 11 players are yet to join it. Three players joined a few days ago, but one of them is not in the original 35.
India face co-host Tajikistan on August 29 in Hisor in their opening match.
Bagan did not release their seven players — Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Vishal Kaith — on the ground that it was not mandatory to do that since the tournament was not being held in the Fifa international window.
Bagan did this despite bowing out of the Durand Cup on August 17. They are now in the middle of a war words with the AIFF on the injury of senior pro Subhasish Bose.
Jamshedpur FC players Manvir Singh and Albino Gomes — who were in the original 35 — as well as new addition Muhammed Uvais from Punjab FC joined the camp on Monday to take the numbers to 25.
Jithin MS is the lone NorthEast United player called up for the national camp and his club has made it to the Durand Cup final to be played on Saturday.
There are four first-timers in Khalid’s camp of 25 players — defenders Alex Saji, Sunil Benchamin, Muhammed Uvais, and forward Manvir Singh.
Khalid has kept a keen eye on the Durand Cup, hoping the remaining players will be made available by their respective clubs.
“My doors are always open to every player. Some players may not be in the squad right now because I want to try a few other less-tested ones, but rest assured, we will bring our best available squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers,” Khalid said.
