India football captain Sunil Chhetri has taken a break from his foreign stint with Sporting Lisbon and joined I-League club Churchill on loan for four months.
The club wanted to have Chettri last year itself but he had already committed himself to Sporting Lisbon's B team in the second division Portuguese league.
The Goans, who were looking for a defender after the departure of Bilal Najjraine, also strengthened its back-line ahead of the AFC Cup, signing former Air-India player Lamine Tamba.
"These signings will certainly strengthen our defence as well as our attack as they prepare for the final stretch of matches in the I-League and the AFC Cup group stages," said a Churchill Brothers official.
Since the departure of Lebanese defender Najjarine to the United Arab Emirates, Churchill have collected just two points, which saw them slip to the second place behind East Bengal, who have played two matches more.
Tamba's joining will certainly be a big boost as the team prepares to play in the AFC Cup this month.
Chettri signed a two-year contract in July last year, which would keep him with the Lisbon club till June 2014.
A former Kansas City player, Chhetri struggled to break into the playing XI in Portugal, spending most of the time warming the bench.
Photograph: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
