Defender Anwar Ali has sent a letter to Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Delhi FC and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) saying he has terminated the contract with the ISL-X Shield champions.

Last season, Bagan signed a four-year loan deal with Delhi FC and a contract with Anwar.

In the letter, Anwar said that he needed a permanent contract with Bagan as the deal was not in the best interest of the player. Anwar is expected to join East Bengal on a five-year deal.

The ball is now in Bagan's court. Either they move the players' status committee of the AIFF contesting Anwar's decision to walk away unilaterally or allow him to don the red and gold jersey. The second option will not be much to the Bagan brass's liking.

Anwar is banking on a change in Fifa Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) which deems any loan longer than one year invalid.

The new regulations, which started in July 2022 and the member associations have to ensure that their national rules (including their national rules as to loans) comply with the new RSTP by July 1 2025.

The AIFF is expected to bring in the new rule from the January transfer window but a senior official said that all the existing loan contracts will be valid. That means Bagan have a strong case if they go to the players’ status committee.

A six-month ban and a hefty fine are not ruled out.

Bagan, on Friday, also asked the 23-year-old to report for duty on July 19 or else the club will take strong action.

Bagan also sought to register the 25-year-old defender for the ongoing CFL Premier Division, but that was stalled since the IFA rule states that a club needs to give the identity card of a player to the association, signed by him, at the time of registration.