Bengaluru FC announce departure of Brazil striker Cleiton Silva

Indian Super League (ISL) side, Bengaluru FC on Tuesday confirmed the departure of striker, Cleiton Silva from the club after his contract with the Blues expired – with the Brazilian deciding to move on to greener pastures.

Silva who joined Bengaluru from Thai League T1 side, Suphanburi in 2020 established himself as a key part of their attack scoring a total of 16 goals and registering seven assists across the two seasons.

The 35-year-old’s performances for Bengaluru made him a fan favourite as his double digit haul of 16 goals over the two seasons has taken him among the top three goalscorers for Bengaluru FC ever since their inception in the Hero ISL.

Although Bengaluru FC failed to reach the semi-finals during his two seasons at the club, the 35-year-old thrived in the attack alongside Sunil Chhetri and Prince Ibarra, marking the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 season his best-ever in terms of stats and numbers.

His departure comes as a big blow to Bengaluru head coach, Marco Pezzaiuoli as he will need to find a replacement for the Brazilian as he rebuilds his side ahead of next season, and they need to keep themselves busy in the transfer window after the departure of one of their most prolific forwards.