Reigning Indian Super League champion Chennaiyin FC on Friday released Dhanachandra Singh, along with seven others from last season’s title winning squad. Bikramjit Singh, Keenan Almeida, Jude Nworuh, Fulganco Cardozo, Sanjay Balmuchu, Pawan Kumar and Shahin Lal Meloli parted ways with the club along with Dhana as their contracts with the two-time ISL champion expired on Thursday.
Chennaiyin has already retained 13 players from last season for its title defence, with head coach John Gregory and sports scientist Dr. Niall Clark also signing one-year extensions. The club will have a first taste of continental football by participating in the 2019 AFC Cup.
A mainstay in defence, Dhana played in 26 of the 28 matches across the first two ISL seasons for Chennaiyin. He was an integral part of the backline that finished top of the league standings in 2014 before becoming champion the season after. A knee injury kept him out of the 2016 season before he played his part with three appearances in the previous campaign.
