Indian Super League-Kant Punjab FC has completed the signing sessions of three foreigners Dani Ramirez, Samir Zeljkovic and Effiong Nsungusi-before the season 2025-26.
All three players have completed their medically and written annual contracts after arrival for free transfers. Although some paperwork, including the registration, is being treated for the newcomers, it is expected that it will be completed within the next two weeks.
Ramirez, a product of Real Madrid’s Youth Academy, spent the early half of his senior career in Spain, playing for the reserve side of Real, Valencia and Getafe before moving to Poland, where he won the Ekstaklasa – the Polish first division – in 2022 with Lech Poznan.
His last club was Manisa FK in the Turkish Second Division, where he played 34 games last season, scored seven goals and there are four more sets. An attacking midfielder, the 33-year-old Ramirez will replace Ezequiel Vidal, who left for PSIM Yogyakarta this summer in the Indonesia Super League.
In the meantime, Zeljkovic arrives as a more defensive option, comfortable in both the center-back and the defensive midfielder roles.
The 28-year-old Bosnian shared national camps with European stars Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko, and spent the majority of his club career on the Bosnian top side FK Velez Mostar and won the Bosnian Herzegovinian Cup in 2022.
He arrives in India, after he played Continental European Football – UEFA Europe Conference League qualifications – last season. His trade for FK Radnicki 1923 Kragujevac as a defensive midfielder, lost his team 4-6 to FK Mornar Bar on penalties.
In Punjab Zeljkovic will replace the Midden-Back Ivan Novoselec or midfielder Filip Mrzljak, both of which left the club after the 2024-25 season.
Nsungusi, on the other hand, will look at his career after his return to Asia after a year.
The towering Nigerian Center-Forward-Hij was released 195 cm long-old by the Romanian Premier Division side Uta Arad after he did not impress last season in his first campaign for the club, without goals in six performances.
His last Stint in Asia was with FC Neftchi Fergana in the Uzbekistan Super League, where he had 12 target contributions (7g, 5a) in 28 performances.
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Punjab, like most ISL parties, had remained uncertain with regard to foreign signing sessions because of uncertainty about the future of the competition. Consequently, all his foreign players left for new meadows, including important members of the first team, Vidal and Luka Majcen (to Diamond Harbor FC).
With the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), however, agree with a joint plan – with a nod from the Supreme Court – for the upcoming ISL season, the club came into action to rop overseas players.
Before the three arrivals, Punjab had signed three Indians: Muhammad Uvais from Jamshedpur FC, Bijoy V from Inter Kashi and Likmabam Rakesh by Kerala Blasters.
The first challenge of Punjab of the season will be the Super Cup, which will be played in Goa from October 25 to October 22. With the tournament, teams can register six foreigners, including one from Asia, and the three signing sessions from Punjab will probably occur in the team.
The Shers are signed with Bengaluru FC, Mohammedan Sporting and Gokulam Kerala in the Super Cup and open their campaign against the Malabarians on 27 October in the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Published on October 6, 2025
