Kerala Blasters part ways with Coeff, hope Lagator is a midfield upgrade

Kerala Blasters have parted ways with French midfielder Alexandre Coeff to accommodate newcomer Dusan Lagator.

On Friday, the Blasters announced the exit of Coeff, who joined them in the summer, making 13 appearances and scoring a goal. The 32-year-old was expected to anchor their midfield, but was often used as a makeshift centre-back.

The 30-year-old Montenegrin Lagator is a direct replacement for Coeff, or at least the Blasters would hope so. ".. his ability to control the midfield will add great value to our team," Sporting Director Karolis Skynkis said after the signing of Lagator.

The Blasters have let go of more players than they have included in the current transfer window. Australian striker Jaushua Sotirio, whose two-year spell at the Blasters was disrupted by injuries, finally left the club in December.

Fan favourite Rahul K P ended his eventful five years, making a permanent switch to Odisha FC, while Saurav Mandal, Bryce Miranda and Prabir Das also left the Blasters on loan.

Incidentally, the club announced Coeff's departure around the same time they were holding talks with fan group, Manjappada, who had been demanding fresh signings to bolster the squad.