NorthEast United Secure Rising Star Pramveer Singh

NorthEast United FC have landed one of the most coveted young defenders in the country, beating off interest from several Indian Super League rivals to secure India international Pramveer Singh on a three-year deal.

The 18-year-old left-footed centre-back, out of contract after the 2025-26 season with Punjab FC, had quickly become one of the hottest names in the domestic market. Multiple ISL clubs made their move. NorthEast United made their case. The Highlanders won.

A source involved in the negotiations confirmed that three ISL teams were in for the teenager, but that the promise of regular minutes in Guwahati tipped the balance. For a player who has barely stopped climbing since his first taste of national team football, the choice was clear: play now, grow fast.

A meteoric rise in India colours

Pramveer’s ascent through the Indian national team structure has been relentless.

• U-17
• U-20
• U-23
• And now, the senior side.

Over the last three years, he has ticked off every age-group box, turning promise into presence at each level. Earlier this month, he took the final step, making his senior India debut against Tajikistan and joining the growing line of youth internationals breaking into the Blue Tigers squad.

His progress has not happened in isolation. NorthEast United assistant coach Naushad Moosa knows him well from their time together with the India U-23s, where the defender emerged as one of the few bright spots in a narrow miss for AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification. India fell short. Pramveer did not. His calm, composed performances in the back line only strengthened the sense that a bigger stage was coming quickly.

Now, that stage will be in Guwahati.

From Punjab’s academy to ISL history-maker

The first real glimpse of Pramveer’s potential came at the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. From there, Punjab FC moved swiftly to pull him into their youth setup, and he responded with a run of performances that made it impossible to ignore him.

He impressed in the Indian Youth League, then became a pillar of Punjab’s Reliance Foundation Development League side in 2024, playing every minute of their title-winning campaign. A year that began with academy fixtures ended with a trophy and a fast-track promotion to the senior squad.

Then came history.

Still 17, Pramveer was handed a start against Mohun Bagan. At 17 years and 189 days, he became the youngest starter in ISL history. It was a landmark that underlined how much faith Punjab had in his temperament as much as his talent.

By the 2025-26 season, he was no longer just a record-holder but a regular presence, featuring in 13 matches across competitions and even chipping in with a goal. More importantly, he played like what he is now widely seen as: one of India’s most promising young defenders, comfortable on the ball, aggressive in duels, and left-footed in a market that values that profile highly.

Why NorthEast United moved first – and hardest

Clubs across the league had taken note of his progress. NorthEast United did more than that.

Their interest had been simmering for months, long before his Punjab contract formally expired. Under head coach Juan Pedro Benali, the Highlanders have made youth a core part of their identity, investing heavily in emerging Indian talent and backing them with real opportunities, not just bench roles.

Pramveer fits that model perfectly. A long-term project, but one ready to contribute now.

Inside the club, the belief is clear: with consistent game time and detailed coaching, his development can accelerate again. Benali has already built a reputation in India for improving young players. NorthEast United expect Pramveer to be the next in that line.

Money was on the table elsewhere. Several clubs were prepared to offer him a bigger contract. They could not, however, match what NorthEast United put front and centre: a clear, honest pathway to the pitch.

For an 18-year-old who has already climbed through every rung of Indian football’s ladder, from U-17 to the senior national team, the promise of minutes may matter more than any signing bonus. Now the question shifts from where he would go to how quickly he can turn potential into dominance in the heart of the Highlanders’ defence.