[ Amar Sangno ]
ITANAGAR, 22 Jan: Mumbai City Football Club (FC) has signed Arunachal’s wonderboy Gyamar Nikum from Rajasthan United under a five-year contract deal amounting to Rs 60 lakhs.
This is the biggest professional football transfer involving any Arunachali footballer.
The 18-year-old football prodigy will be playing in the Indian Super League – the top Indian professional league.
Mumbai City FC is an Indian professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which competes in the Indian Super League.
Mumbai City FC has confirmed Nikum’s transfer on its official page.
“Mumbai City can confirm that the club has reached an agreement with Rajasthan United for the transfer of Gyamar Nikum. The transfer is subject to a medical. We’ll take good care of him,” a statement from Mumbai City FC read.
Sharing the news of his son’s joining one of the top Indian professional clubs, Nikum’s father Gyamar Tajik said, “This is a proud moment for me, my family and also the people of Arunachal Pradesh. This is his beginning and I want to see him play for India,” he said.
Nikum played as a midfielder for Rajasthan United in the I-League. He is one of the youngest players and the first from Arunachal Pradesh to be selected and debut in the I-League qualifiers at the age of 16 years and 359 days.
Born on 24 October, 2004, to Gyamar Tajik (father), Nikum belongs to Take village in Kurung Kumey district. He started playing football at the age of 8. By the age of 14, he had played in the U-15 Sub-junior National Championship for Arunachal.
On 2019, Nikum achieved a career milestone when he was selected for the Arunachal team to play in the U-18 BC Roy Trophy, where they made it to the semifinals. It was in that tournament where the midfielder was scouted by Rajasthan United and offered a chance to be a part of their residential academy in Bhilwara.
After impressing then coach Vikrant Sharma, he was fast-tracked to the first-team squad.
On 20 October, 2021, Nikum became one of the youngest players and the first from Arunachal to be selected and debut in the I-League qualifiers, when he appeared against Madan Maharaj, at the age of 16 years and 359 days.
Nikum had a breakout 2021-22 season, when he appeared in 14 of their 18 games as Rajasthan United had a memorable debut season in the I-League, finishing in the Top 7 of Phase 1 and qualifying for the championship stage.
In July 2022, Nikum signed a new four-year contract extension with Rajasthan United. On 20 August, he scored his first and the winning goal for the club in a shock 3-2 win over ATK Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup.