Analyzing Chennaiyin FC’s foreign signings for ISL 2026-27

12 months ago, at exactly the same point of the year, fans across the country were left in the dark with no clarity over the future of the 2025/26 ISL season, and indeed the long-term future of the clubs as well. However, this time around, with the clubs taking charge of the operations and management of the league, the excitement is back and it feels like a return to normalcy, giving fans plenty of hope.

Chennaiyin FC, who finished 13th in the league last season with just two wins and eight points from 13 games, are desperate to get things sorted and return to the top, and they have made this intention clear through the way they have operated in the transfer window.

Clifford Miranda, who had a difficult season last time around, was rewarded with a two-year contract by the management despite the results not going in his favor. Desperate to repay the faith shown in him, the head coach is determined to get things right this time around and has overseen a complete overhaul of the squad.

Senior players were informed that their contracts would not be extended, while those who were still contracted were asked to leave, including all six foreign players from last season. Some of the top Indian talents from across the country have joined the team, including the likes of Brison Fernandes, Ayush Chhetri and Namgyal Bhutia, to name a few.

While domestic players form the core of the team, the foreign players could ultimately determine whether the squad has enough quality to go one step further and compete for the playoff spots. Five new foreign players have joined the club, with three of them possessing prior ISL experience, while two new faces to Indian football have also been signed.

With the season fast approaching, let’s take a look at the profile of each foreign player, along with their strengths and weaknesses. We have also rated each player, but take these ratings with a pinch of salt, as they are our own assessments and are not intended to offend the players or their fans.

Nuno Reis

Out of all the signings the Marina Machans have made this season, Nuno Reis remains the oldest at 35 years of age. But if you’re wondering why Clifford Miranda still went for him, it’s because of the consistency he displayed with Mumbai City FC during the 2025/26 ISL season.

He started all 13 games and played a crucial role in securing seven clean sheets, the most in the league last season. Nuno is extremely calm at the back with the ball at his feet and can also slot in as a defensive midfielder during transitions, a trait Clifford Miranda cherishes as it aligns perfectly with his style of progressive, possession-based football.

Defensively, Nuno lacks the pace and agility to compete against speedy forwards, but he makes up for it with his excellent positional awareness, allowing him to be in the right place at the right time to kill attacks. He is also aerially dominant and a natural leader, leaving Clifford Miranda with no choice but to name him as one of the five captains for the upcoming season.

Strengths: Composure on the ball, Positional awareness, Aerial prowess
Weaknesses: Lack of pace, Agility against quick forwards
Rating: 7.5/10

Emmanuel Imanishimwe

Emmanuel Immanishwime in training for Chennaiyin FC

Chennaiyin FC, once known for bringing in players from different parts of the world, have extended their scouting network to Rwanda this time around, signing Rwandan national team player Emmanuel Imanishimwe, who remains a regular for the national team under former Indian NT head coach Stephen Constantine.

A natural left-back, Emmanuel could be deployed as a center-back by Clifford Miranda during the 2026/27 ISL season, as the 31-year-old defender is comfortable playing in both positions. Emmanuel is extremely effective with his ground tackling and possesses the stamina and pace required to play a high line, proactively push up the field and win possession back. Like Nuno, he also offers tactical versatility to switch between a left-back and center-back role both in and out of possession.

However, he has often been caught out of position after pushing further up the field, while also finding himself exposed during quick transitions – a problem Clifford Miranda’s Chennaiyin FC experienced frequently last season. His lack of aerial prowess could also become an issue if he is deployed at center-back.

Strengths: Ground tackling, Recovery pace, Versatility
Weaknesses: Aerial prowess, Positioning awareness
Rating: 7/10

Nikola Stojanovic

The most experienced foreign signing with Indian football experience in the current group, Nikola has close to 90 appearances across all competitions in Indian football since first joining Mohammedan SC in 2021.

Nikola is a versatile midfielder who can slot in anywhere in the middle of the park, with a number eight role or a double pivot being his most preferred positions. Aerially sound and physically strong, Nikola is an excellent midfielder to have when it comes to winning possession back through 50/50s and ground duels.

He also possesses an effective goal threat with his late runs into the box and ability to strike from the edge of the box, while having the technical ability to dictate the tempo of the game and deliver dangerous set-pieces.

Overall, he could be the most important signing for the way Clifford Miranda would want his team to play. Nikola would be crucial in recycling possession from defense to attack while also playing a key role in getting the ball to Madih Talal as high up the pitch as possible.

Strengths: Technical ability, Physicality, Goal threat, Set-piece quality
Weaknesses: Pace, 1v1 defending
Rating: 8/10

Madih Talal

Madih Talal, who was of interest to Chennaiyin FC back in 2024 when Owen Coyle was in charge, has finally joined the club after two years, with destiny doing its work. A consistent creative force who creates at least four to five chances per game, Chennaiyin FC’s goalscoring record for the upcoming season could completely depend on this man.

Talal, who was at Jamshedpur FC last season, had a significant influence on the team’s results, with the club failing to win even one of the five games he missed while losing only once in the games he featured in. His ability to find spaces, create chances through crosses and dribble past defenders by utilising the space available makes him one of the best in the business in the country.

Talal is one of the most technically gifted players in the league and has the ability to break opposition defences with ease through his line-breaking passes. However, his availability remains a key concern, as he missed the entirety of the 2024/25 season with an ACL injury while also missing five games last season.

Clifford Miranda must make sure he manages Madih Talal’s minutes carefully to keep him fit throughout the season and must not repeat the Noguera mistake, where the midfielder was forced to play almost every game in its entirety last season, which eventually burned him out towards the end of the campaign.

Strengths: Constant creative presence, Spatial awareness, Technical excellence
Weaknesses: Injury history, Defensive work rate, Physicality
Rating: 8/10

Ramon Tanque

For a club that once had strikers like Stiven Mendoza, Valskis, Petar Sliskovic and, to an extent, Wilmar Jordan Gil, Chennaiyin FC have had more failures than successes in recent seasons when it comes to foreign striker signings. For a club that scored just nine goals throughout last season, Ramon Tanque remains the most important and crucial signing for the Marina Machans ahead of the upcoming season.

Ramon, who has joined the club on loan from Persib Bandung FC, has already generated huge interest on social media, with Indonesian fans seemingly waiting for him to fail even before the season has started. His off-field activities, particularly his modelling work, remain the reason for the huge backlash he has received in Indonesia.

The Brazilian striker is a traditional number nine with brilliant hold-up play and aerial ability inside the box. He plays like a classic target man, combining a strong physical presence with excellent movement inside the box to beat defenders. However, his pace and mobility outside the box remain areas of concern based on his previous seasons.