Mercurial striker Manjit Singh has decided to stay back with Mahindras for next season. The Sikh striker with cropped hair, after noteworthy performances in the National Football League and other tournaments, had offers from most leading clubs of the country but decided to stay back.

According to coach Syed Shahid Hakim, Mahindras have retained 18 players from last season's National Football League team. Surprisingly, they have decided to retain all three goalkeepers Salim Ansari, Mark Mascarenhas and Manoj Jaggi.

The team of 30 players will have 12 defenders, eight mid-fielders and eight strikers. The remaining 12 slots will be filled with players from outside and foreigners.

Nitin Pradhan (from FC Kochin), Aqueel Ansari (Churchill Brothers), Virender Singh (JCT) and Abbas Ali Rizvi (Air-India) have already signed with the Mahindras for the coming season.

Players mahindras retained
Goalkeepers Salim Ansari, Mark Mascranhas, ManojJaggi; Defenders: Rajesh Pandey, Shahi, Naushad Moosa, Sushanta Mazumdar, Munavur Hussian, Ramesh Razak and Bernard Operanzie; Mid-fielders: Shamshi Raza, Andrew Loius, Satish Minz, Khalid Siddque, Sanjay Rawal, Mohamaad ShakeelStrikers: Manjit Singh, Harish Sharma.