ISL: Hyderabad FC rope in youngsters Akash Mishra, Rohit Danu and Biaka Jongte

Indian Super League side Hyderabad FC on Friday roped in Akash Mishra, Rohit Danu, and Lalbiakhlua 'Biaka' Jongte.

The trio has each penned a long-term deal with the Indian Super League club till the end of the 2022-23 season. The youngsters who have all played in the I-League, have also been capped by the national team at the youth level, and join a host of U22 players at Hyderabad FC.

HFC co-owner Varun Tripuraneni in an official statement said, "Our philosophy at Hyderabad FC is to have a right mix of young and experienced players. We see the youngsters as a crucial part of not just our squad, but our overall project and we're very happy to have signed Biaka, Akash and Rohit."

"All three of them have been training with the team in Goa and we believe they will become important players for our club in the future," he added.

A full-back by trait, Akash Mishra spent three years training in Germany after making it through the trials conducted by U Dream Football Academy in 2015. The 18-year-old returned to India in 2018 and soon broke into the India U18 side. He scored twice in seven games, helping the team clinch the SAFF Championships in 2019 before joining Indian Arrows.

"Among many things that excite me about Hyderabad FC is the rich football history of the city. Hyderabad has produced many star players for the country in the past and I cannot wait to be a part of the club ahead of the new Indian Super League season," said Akash.

Rohit Danu, the 18-year-old attacker, started training with the AIFF Elite Academy at a tender age and was the youngest member of India's camp for the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2017.

"Signing with HFC is the start of a new journey for me in my career. I am proud to have signed for the club and as a youngster, I will try my best to learn and improve myself as a player," said Rohit.

Biaka Jongte, who played local football in Mizoram, first came into the limelight when he helped India U-15s to the SAFF Championship victory in 2017. He was also a part of the Indian squad that reached the quarter-finals of the AFC U16 Championship in 2018.

"I am really happy and proud to be a part of HFC. I already feel comfortable here and feel that this club is the perfect fit for me to improve as a player," said Biaka, after completing formalities.

( With inputs from ANI )