Defending Indian Super League (ISL) champions Bengaluru FC have signed Jamaican international Deshorn Brown for a one-and-a-half-year deal that runs till the end of 2020-21 season.
Brown, who plays down the middle and is equally comfortable operating on the wings, will be a valuable addition in attack for the Blues who sit third in the standings after 10 rounds in the Indian Super League.
The 29-year-old forward previously plied his trade in the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system, for Oklahoma City Energy FC. He scored 16 goals in 34 games whilst being in the club and will prove to be a much-needed addition to the Bengaluru frontline who are struggling to score goals.
The Jamaican forward becomes BFC’s seventh foreign recruit for the season and the second Caribbean player to represent the Blues after Cornell Glen (Trinidad and Tobago, 2017).
Bengaluru gaffer Carles Cuadrat had roped in former Osasuna striker Manuel Onwu to replace outgoing Miku, but the Spaniard has so far struggled to deliver in front of goal mostly due to his loss of form and fitness issues.
Currently, the defending champions have 16 points in 10 matches and find themselves sitting in the third position in the standings with only Kerala Blasters and Hyderabad FC scoring fewer goals than the Blues.
Cuadrat also spoke about new signing Deshorn Brown and how he hopes the Jamaican will fit into the Blues' attack. #WeAreBFC #RoomForMore pic.twitter.com/pQLOrXJU6s
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) January 3, 2020
“We had the option of signing a seventh foreign player and we felt now was a good time to exercise it. Deshorn lends us more options in attack and even though he joins us in the middle of the season, we believe he will play his part in helping the team achieve its goal,” said the Blues head coach Cuadrat.
After playing college football in the United States, the Jamaican turned professional in 2011 with Des Moines Menace in the USL. The following season he turned out for Reading United before making the move up to Colorado Rapids in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
In 2015, Brown moved to Norway for his first European stint playing for Valerenga in the Tippeligaen for two seasons, before moving to Asia for the first time in 2016 turning out for the Chinese side Shenzhen FC in the Chinese League One. Brown returned to the US in 2017, playing for Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL) and DC United (MLS) before moving to Spain to play for Lorca FC in the Segunda Division (2017-18). He last played for Oklahoma City Energy (2018-19) in the USL.
“It’s a difficult task, coming in mid-way through the season, but one that I’m prepared for. I’ve been working on staying as healthy as I can. The club has shown great belief in offering me a contract and I’m aiming to give my best for Bengaluru. I did manage to catch the last couple of games and a few highlights. We’re in the play-off spot positions and that’s a good thing,” said Brown after putting pen to paper.
At the international level, Brown has represented the Jamaican national team, winning the Caribbean Cup in 2014.
Having played in four countries on three different continents in the USA, Norway, China, and Spain, the Blues will expect Brown to settle in quickly with the business end of the season approaching fast.
“Playing in different countries is always a challenge mentally. Culturally, I love the game, and wherever it takes me. I’m excited to experience a new culture, and ready for the new challenge that comes with it,” Brown added.
