Chennaiyin FC sign Indian left-back Vignesh Dakshinamurthy on 4-year deal

CHENNAI: Chennaiyin FC have completed the signing of 26-year-old defender Vignesh Dakshinamurthy on a four-year deal.

Vignesh, who has also played in midfield and adds versatility and experience to the Chennaiyin backline, becomes the club’s 12th signing of the summer, joining the likes of Mandar Rao Desai and PC Laldinpuia.

"Feels like being at home. Really happy and proud to represent the city and Chennaiyin FC. I’m aware of rich culture of the city and the club so I’ll always give my best and be a part of the club’s success," said Vignesh.

"Delighted to sign another talented young Indian player who has already shown fantastic ability in the ISL, we faced a lot of competition to sign him from other clubs. Vignesh is a great addition to our squad and we look forward to working with him," head coach Owen Coyle said.

Vignesh began his career with Bengaluru’s Ozone FC, for whom he played for six years, three in the academy and three with the first team. He made his senior debut at 17 and was one of Ozone’s star performers en route to their 2018 I-League 2 Final Round run.

That same year, he stepped up to the Indian Super League with Mumbai City FC and went on to represent the Islanders more than 60 times combined across competitions, including four AFC Champions League appearances.

Explosive going forward and efficient tracking back, Vignesh made the left back berth his own while at Mumbai City and was part of the team that won two ISL Shields (2021 and 2023) and one ISL Cup (2021).

After spending five years at Mumbai City, Vignesh joined Hyderabad FC ahead of the 2023-24 season. He played six matches for Hyderabad before joining Odisha FC on loan earlier this year in January. He made 17 appearances across all competitions for the Juggernauts.

Vignesh was also part of the Indian squad that finished runners-up at the 2018 SAFF Championship.