Indian Super League club FC Goa has confirmed the departure of midfielder Brison Fernandes, issuing a strongly worded statement that criticised the circumstances surrounding his exit and questioned transfer practices within the Indian football ecosystem.
The announcement comes amid widespread speculation linking the 25-year-old with a move to Chennaiyin FC.
In its statement, FC Goa said it had remained silent on several matters in the past out of respect for those involved but believed doing so in this case “would be a disservice to this club, to our fans, and to the truth.”
The club maintained that it had made every effort to retain Fernandes, revealing that multiple contract offers were presented to the midfielder, with each proposal improved over the previous one. According to FC Goa, the player did not have another offer on the table until recently, but alleged that his agent had been using the club’s contract proposals to approach other teams in an attempt to create a bidding war.
FC Goa stated that it chose not to participate in such negotiations. The club added that once it became aware of the situation, it directly informed the club Fernandes was set to join about its position and also communicated the same to the player. While expressing no grievance with the prospective club, FC Goa said it respected its decision to invest as it saw fit.
The club also highlighted its role in Fernandes’ development, claiming it identified and nurtured the midfielder before he was known to his current representative. It further noted that despite the expiry of his contract, FC Goa continued to oversee and finance his injury rehabilitation for more than two months without any contractual obligation.
The statement alleged that the consideration shown by both the player and his agent had been “minimal” despite the club’s continued support. It also described the situation as part of a recurring pattern in football transfers, accusing agents of using genuine contract offers from one club to generate interest and higher bids elsewhere.
FC Goa concluded by saying it was prepared to make its complete record of communications public if either Fernandes or his agent disputed any of the claims made in the statement.
Fernandes leaves FC Goa after making 56 Indian Super League appearances, contributing 16 goal involvements during his spell with the club.
