Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra skipper Biplob Bhattacharjee gestures after his arrival at the Bangladesh Football Federation Bhaban on Friday to complete their player registration formalities for the upcoming football season. – New Age photo

Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra underlined their title aspirations in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League when the club registered 25 players including eight national stars on Friday.
Of the players, 12 have newly joined the side including national players Zahid Hasan Ameli, Mithun Chowdhury, Zahid Hossain, Mamunul Islam, Nasirul Islam Nasir, Ashraf Mahmud Linkon, Mamun Miah, Anwar Hossain and Rezaul Karim Reza.
They new recruits also include under-23 national goalkeeper Mohammad Nehal and two other players, Nahidul Islam and Tanvir Rana. They joined up with their last season’s star performers – Biplob Bhattacharjee, Uttam Kumar Banik, Emon Mahmud Babu, Rajon Miah and Sohel Rana, who all gave Russell squad a formidable look. 
In pursuit of  a maiden title, Russell, who finished third three times in five previous season, also signed up some foreign players from the Moroccan and Mexican professional league clubs instead of usual sources of  Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda or Guinea.
 The players are Mohammad Aboukacem from
Morocco’s Tanger Club, Tarik El Janaby from Chabab RIF Al-Hoceima of Morocco and Sony Norde from Mexican club Estudiantes de Altamira.
Russell president Nurul Alam Chowdhury said that they will also register two more foreigners from among three players – one each from France, Algeria and Brazil – who are already in their club tent for a trial.
The club, however, declined to reveal their source of funds saying that they have received donations from their well-wishers.
‘We are a donation-dependant club. This season we have got seven to eight major donors,’ said Chowdhury, without revealing any names. 
Russell are the second team to register players in this transfer window that opened on August 15. Earlier, Mohammedan Sporting Club registered 24 players on September 20.
The transfer window closes on October 15.