Uruguay attacking midfielder Adrian Nicolas Luna Retamar joins Kerala Blasters FC from Melbourne City on a two-year contract.
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Kerala Blasters FC have announced the signing of midfielder Adrian Nicolas Luna Retamar ahead of the 2011/22 edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). The Uruguay attacking midfielder joins Kerala Blasters FC from Melbourne City on a two-year contract. Luna made 24 appearances for Melbourne City in the A-league last season. He notched three goals and four assists, having begun his career as a footballer at the youth academies of Club Atletico Progreso, Montevideo Wanderers, and Defensor Sporting in Uruguay.
Luna was eventually promoted to Defensor’s U-19 and the first team in 2010. This was followed by loan stints at Spanish clubs Espanyol, Gimnastic, and CE Sabadell for the midfielder, before returning to Defensor in 2013. After two more seasons at the Uruguayan club, he moved to Mexico. Luna represented Tiburones Rojos and Venados FC, before signing for Australian outfit Melbourne City in July 2019. The footballer made 51 appearances over two years for the Melbourne-based club.
“Very happy to join Kerala Blasters, the great family with the best fans in the country without a doubt. I am looking forward to training and meeting my teammates and all the technical staff,” said Luna indicating his excitement.
The footballer becomes the first overseas player this season at Kerala Blasters FC, and the fifth arrival after Sanjeev Stalin, Hormipam Ruivah, Vincy Barreto, and Harmanjot Khabra.
Kerala Blasters FC’s Sporting Director, Karolis Skinkys termed Luna as a player with great calibre, and someone who would certainly make the team stronger.
“Adrian Luna is a player with great calibre, and I am sure that this will make our team stronger. Apart from being a good playmaker and smart operator in tight spaces, I liked that Adrian is a hardworking player who always cares about team performance. So, I would like to welcome Adrian to join the Kerala Blasters family,” said Skinkys.
The 29-year-old has made 19 appearances for his national team across both age groups. A former Uruguay U-17 and U-20 international, he played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009, and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2011. Luna scored a goal apiece in both tournaments. In a club career spanning over 11 years, the attacking midfielder has made 336 appearances for all clubs. The footballer has scored 47 times along with providing 46 assists.
The club recently announced that their preseason preparations will begin on the 30th of July, ahead of the 2021/22 edition of ISL. Ivan Vukomanovic, coaching staff, and players will arrive in Kochi to commence the first leg of their preseason. They will further fly abroad to complete the rest of their pre-season training. The month-long training camp will allow the players to complete their vaccinations and medical checks before turning the focus on physical conditioning.
Ivan is set to give first-team exposure to at least 6 academy players, during the preseason schedule. 4 of them hail from Kerala. Reserve team players Sachin Suresh, Sreekuttan VS, Shahajahas Thekkan, Bijoy V, Sukham Yoihenba Meitei, and Anil Gaonkar are all in line for playing time across the Blasters preseason friendlies.
