Champions Atletico de Kolkata made a stunning mark at the Indian Super League 2015 Player Auctions for the Indian players from Pool B.
The Kolkata outfit made calculated buys as they snapped up midfielder Arata Izumi as well as defender Rino Anto.
While Japanese-born Izumi was bought for Rs 68 Lakhs (base price: 40 Lakhs), Anto, commanding the lowest price in the auction at Rs 17.5 Lakhs, was bought for a stunning Rs 90 Lakhs, and it didn't come as a surprise.
"We were looking for a player to fill in the right-back position, and Rino is one of the best right-backs in the country at the moment. We were determined to get our hands on him," said an official from ATK, present at the event.
Mumbai City FC and FC Goa were ensued in a war of bids for the Bengaluru FC lad. The battle continued for a while, but the big bid by ATK in the closing stages took the player as well as the officials present in the event by storm.
The 2014 ISL Champions were also keen on bagging a midfielder in the auction, after they lost Eugeneson Lyngdoh to FC Pune City earlier. Arata Izumi thus remained one of the better names to play in the midfield, and the Antonio Habas-led side seized the moment.
Delhi-lad Robin Singh was picked up by Delhi Dynamos for Rs 50 Lakhs. Robin's base price was Rs 40 Lakhs, and Delhi obviously needed someone powerful up front in their lineup.
The only goalkeeper in the auction -- Karanjit Singh -- didn't really attract much bids from the eight franchisees, barring Chennaiyin FC. Priced the second-most in the 2015 Auction, the player was snapped up by the Chennai side at his base price of Rs 60 Lakhs.
Karanjit missed much of last season for Salgaocar in the I-League owing to injuries, and he had to be relegated to the bench. India custodian Subrata Paul remained the No 1 goalkeeper for the Goan I-League side for most of the season.
NorthEast United FC finally got their hands on a player from their region, as they snapped up lethal Royal Wahingdoh forward Seityasen Singh for Rs 56 Lakhs (base price: Rs 20 Lakhs).
Seityasen scored the fastest hat-trick of the I-League last season, and having already lost North-East players like Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Jackichand Singh and Thoi Singh earlier, the John Abraham-owned side was determined to pick Seityasen.
"Seityasen Singh is an extremely gifted player, and we're very happy we got him. It's time to show the rest of India what NorthEeast United FC can do," Bollywood actor Abraham stated.
