Westwood makes Moroccan midfielder Benarif his first signing for Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters have made their first signing under new head coach Ashley Westwood by bringing in Moroccan midfielder Karim Benarif.

The club announced on Friday that the 33-year-old central midfielder has arrived in Kochi and will join the team soon.

The previous Moroccan who played for the Blasters was Noah Sadaoui. The star winger is still contracted to the club, but was sent out on loan ahead of the ongoing ISL season, reportedly due to the uncertainty over the start of the league.

Benarif is "known for his composure on the ball and tactical awareness, bringing with him a wealth of experience across North Africa and the Middle East," the Blasters said in a statement.

Benarif most recently played for Karbala FC in the Iraq Stars League and would be expected to shore up the Blasters' midfield that has lacked cohesion.

Englishman Westwood took up the Blasters' job during the ongoing international break following the sacking of David Catala. He takes over a club reeling in the relegation zone with just a point from six matches.

Kerala Blasters next play Sporting Delhi away on April 5 before visiting arch-rivals Bengaluru FC on April 11. Westwood famously managed Bengaluru to two I-League titles before the ISL came into existence.