Himalayan Sherpa President Karma Tshering Sherpa on Sunday confirmed that Malla, 21, will play for Himalayan Sherpa in the National League.[break]
"We have entered into a contract with Malla after APF allowed him to sign contract with any team he wishes to play for in the National League. We are yet to finalize his fees, which will be finalized on consensus," Sherpa said.
"The club has enrolled Malla for the rest of the season and he will feature in the National League and other knockout tournaments of the season in which APF does not participate," Sherpa said to the Republica adding, "The club hopes that Malla´s presence will strengthen the team."
Malla, a product of ANFA Academy, became the first player to be transferred in loan as per ANFA regulation, which states that a club which qualifies for the national league can hire up to five players from those teams which do not qualify for the national league.
Only ten teams including top eight teams of the Martyrs Memorial A Division League that concluded on July 16 earlier this year and two A division teams from districts will be eligible to compete in the national league. This provision bars Malla´s original team APF from competing in the national league as it finished 12th in the A division league. Himalayan Sherpa had finished fifth in the league.
"I am delighted to join a good team like Himalayan Sherpa for the National League," Malla said. Despite his important role in national team in age group and some knockout tournaments, Malla has not been able to put up a good show in the domestic league.
In the 2010 league, Malla had played top flight from Sankata which got relegated in the very season. In the current season, Malla got enrolled with APF but he played only five matches among 17 in the league due to injuries.
"Now, I have totally recovered from the injuries and I will try to give my cent percent in the league," Malla said.
Malla played a key role for Nepali football team which earned bronze medal in the First South Asian Beach Games held about a month earlier in Sri Lanka. Malla had scored 11 goals for Nepal.
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