[ad_1]
Bengaluru Football Club has announced the signing of English striker Curtis Mayne ahead of the 2023-24 season. The club announced on Tuesday (18 July) that the 31-year-old is joining the Blues from Scottish club St Mirren on a one-year deal with an option to extend.
Head coach Simon Grayson has finally found a replacement for Roy Krishna but who is Curtis Main and what does he bring to the team? lets take alook.
Based out of Tyneside, England, Maine began his professional career with League Two side Darlington, amassing 69 appearances and seven goals during his time with the side.
In 2011, he moved to English Championships Middlesbrough, where he spent three years before joining League One club Doncaster Rovers in 2014. He enjoyed a successful start to the club, achieving double figures in his first season.
After subsequent spells with Oldham Athletic and Portsmouth in the lower divisions, Maine embarked on a new chapter by joining Scottish club Motherwell midway through the 2017-18 season.
After his successful stint with Motherwell, Mayne continued to play in Scotland, joining Aberdeen for a further two years. After a season in League One with Shrewsbury Town, he returned to Scotland in 2021, this time in a St Mirren FC shirt.
Although Main struggled in his first season, he showed his ability last season, scoring nine goals and playing a crucial role for his club.
While reports indicated that newly promoted League Two club Wrexham A.F.C. expressed interest in him, Bengaluru FC managed to secure his signature.
What qualities will Curtis Main bring to Bengaluru FC?
Bengaluru FC lost Roy Krishna to Odisha FC, so the club had to act quickly and sign a replacement. Mayne appears to be a strong candidate, as his versatility allows him to excel at centre-forward and as a supporting striker, making him a valuable addition to the squad.
Maine is a striker with a physical presence, who combines an exceptional pace that can be a handful for defenders. Like Krishna, he has impressive upper body strength and a knack for finding scoring opportunities.
When Main moved to Middlesbrough, his former manager Tony Mowbray paid tribute to him, saying:
“Maine’s finishing with both feet is amazing at times. Whether the ball lands to his right foot or his left foot, he doesn’t hesitate. Fitness is not going to be an issue for Curtis throughout his career. He’s a boy who spends a lot of time looking after his fitness and he’s very, very strong.”
While scoring goals may not be Main’s primary strength, he excels at linking up play effectively and possesses the ability to draw players towards himself, which could benefit Bengaluru FC’s star-studded attack.
Grayson has the option of deploying him as a lone striker in a 4-3-3 formation or pairing him alongside Sunil Chhetri and Sivasakthi Narayanan in his preferred 3-5-2 formation.
All in all, Maine’s signing seems to be a good kind of business for Bengaluru FC as they prepare for the upcoming season.
[ad_2]
