Manchester United wish East Bengal luck for expected ISL entry

Kolkata: English football giants Manchester United have congratulated East Bengal on their centenary celebrations and also expressed happiness over the club's expected entry into the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL).

East Bengal recently announced that they had sold a majority stake to city-based Shree Cement and would now appeal to the ISL organisers in a bid to make a dramatic late entry into the country's top-tier club competition.

The red-and-gold brigade's new investors, Shree Cement Limited, are slated to pick up the bid proposal for a spot in the ISL in the name of 'Shree Cement Foundation', a new company it has registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

"We would like to hereby congratulate East Bengal Football Club and the millions of East Bengal Fans for its centenary year celebrations. We are well aware about the rich history of your club and its colourful journey since 1st of August 1920," United tour director Christoffer Komen wrote in the letter, addressed to East Bengal club general secretary Kalyan Majumder.

The letter has been uploaded on the club's official Facebook page.

"We are also happy to know that all the efforts will be made to see East Bengal figuring in this season's Indian Super League and we hereby send our best wishes for your new journey," the letter stated.

Manchester United had planned for a pre-season tour to India this season and accordingly a four-member delegation from the Red Devils headed by the director of football Allan Dawson had met the East Bengal officials and West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas in November last year.

An exhibition match against East Bengal was on the cards before the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to all plans.

"We must also thank you for the wonderful experience we had during our recent site visit to your club at Kolkata, India," United's letter to East Bengal mentioned.