Panaji: Churchill Brothers FC are keen to make an impression on their debut in the Indian Super League (ISL) and have strengthened themselves with the signing of Burkina Faso midfielder Dramane Salou.The two-time former I-League champions had made Colombian midfielder Sebastian Gutierrez their first foreign signing, welcoming back a player who starred for the club during their impressive 2024-25 I-League campaign, when they finished second behind Inter Kashi FC.Now, they’ve added Salou.The midfielder made his international debut for Burkina Faso in 2017 when he was just 18 and was part of coach Hubert Velud’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2024, where they made it to the knockout stage.Salou, 28, has featured for top tier clubs in Israel, Armenia, Belarus and Uzbekistan.“He is a very good signing for Churchill and a perfect fit for their high-pressing style,” one official who analysed the player told TOI. “He’s hardworking, has decent pace and defending ability. Besides, his passing and distribution ability is good.”Churchill have also completed the signing of Trijoy Dias, a livewire on the wings who scored six times in 20 appearances for the club, in a season marred by controversies for the I-League title.With Churchill opting to stay away from last season’s Indian Football League (IFL) due to their battle for a place in the top tier, Trijoy spent a year at Gokulam Kerala FC. He famously scored a last-gasp goal in the concluding game to keep the Kerala club afloat in the second tier of Indian football.Trijoy now returns to the club and will feature in the top tier of Indian football for the first time. Fittingly, it will be with Churchill, who showed faith in the talented attacker when he was banned for the 2020-21 season by the Goa Football Association after being found guilty of assaulting a match referee during his stint with Sporting Clube de Goa U-19s.Churchill will make their debut in the ISL this season after Tata Steel approved the transfer of its entire 100% stake in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL), the company that owns Jamshedpur FC, to the Goan club for a nominal consideration of ₹100.The sporting license that allowed Jamshedpur to compete in the ISL since 2017 has also been transferred to Churchill.
