FC Goa announced the signing of goalkeeper Lara Sharma on a permanent transfer from Bengaluru FC (BFC) for an undisclosed fee on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old has inked a multi-year deal with the Club, committing his future to the Gaurs beyond the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Sharma, a product of the Tata Football Academy, began his professional career with Indian Arrows in 2017. He later played for ATK FC’s Reserves team before joining BFC in 2020.
At the start of the 2021-22 season, when the Blues’ Reserves participated in the Durand Cup, he was the first-choice goalkeeper and played a key role in their run-up to the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champions FC Goa on penalties.
The same season saw him make his earliest appearances for the BFC first team as well. Sharma kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win against Chennaiyin FC on what was his Indian Super League (ISL) debut as well, before keeping another clean sheet in a 1-0 win over East Bengal FC.
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Most recently, the shot-stopper was on loan at Kerala Blasters, where he played a handy role in securing its playoff spot in the 2023-24 season, towards the end of its league campaign.
Expressing his excitement about joining FC Goa, Lara Sharma said: “I am thrilled to be part of FC Goa. The Club has a fantastic reputation for its style of play and passionate fan base, and I can’t wait to start this new chapter of my career with the team.
“Everyone I talked to praised the professional football culture at the Club, so I had no hesitation in signing. I’m also eager to work with Coach Manolo (Marquez), who has been instrumental in developing many young players.
Head Coach Manolo Marquez welcomed the new signing, saying: “I am very happy to welcome Lara to FC Goa. He is a promising young goalkeeper with many excellent qualities and is poised to become one of India’s top goalkeepers in the coming years.
“He performs well in goal, stays composed when playing with his feet outside the box, and shows courage in all his actions - all of them essential traits for our style of play,” he concluded.
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