Gyamar Nikum

Gyamar Nikum

Personal information
Date of birth	(2004-10-26) 26 October 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Inter Kashi (on loan from Mumbai City)
Number	77
Youth career
2019–2020	Arunachal Pradesh
2020–2021	Rajasthan United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2023	Rajasthan United	18	(1)
2023–	Mumbai City	1	(0)
2023–	→ Inter Kashi (loan)	19	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:00, 18 March 2024 (UTC)

Gyamar Nikum (born 26 October 2004) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for I-League club Inter Kashi, on loan from Indian Super League club Mumbai City.

He is one of the youngest players and first from Arunachal Pradesh in history to be selected and debut in the I-League Qualifiers, at an age of 16 years and 359 days. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Club career

Youth career

Hailing from the town of Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare district, Nikum started playing football at the tender age of 8. By the age of 14, he had played in the U15 sub-junior national championships for Arunachal Pradesh. ^[4]

On 2019, Nikum achieved a career milestone when he was selected for the Arunachal Pradesh team to play in the U18 BC Roy Trophy, where they made it to the semi-finals. It was in that tournament where the midfielder was scouted by Rajasthan United and offered a chance to be a part of their residential academy in Bhilwara. After impressing then coach Vikrant Sharma, he was fast tracked to the first-team squad. ^{[4] [5]}

Rajasthan United

On 20 October 2021, Nikum became one of the youngest players and first from Arunachal Pradesh in history to be selected and debut in the I-League Qualifiers, when he appeared against Madan Maharaj, at an age of 16 years and 359 days. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Nikum had a breakout 2021–22 season, where he appeared in fourteen of their eighteen games as Rajasthan United had a memorable debut season in the I-League, finishing in the top 7 of Phase 1 and qualifying for the Championship stage.

In July 2022, Nikum signed a new four-year contract extension with Rajasthan United. ^[6] On 20 August, he scored his first and the winning goal for the club in a shock 3–2 win over ATK Mohun Bagan, in the Durand Cup. ^{[7] [8]}

Mumbai City

On 22 January 2023, 18 year-old Nikum joined Mumbai City for a reported transfer fee of ₹6–7.5 million on a four-and-a-half-year contract, with an option to extend further. The transfer fee is a record for a player of his age. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Inter Kashi (loan)

On 3 September 2023, I-League club Inter Kashi announced the signing of Nikum on a one-year loan deal, until the end of the 2023-24 I-League season ^[12] . Following a season of 22 appearances, four goals, and four assists, Nikum was adjudged to be the Best Emerging Player of the season ^[13] .

International career

In June 2022, Nikum got called up by the AIFF for the India U20 training camp in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. ^{[14] [15]}

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 February 2022 ^[16]

Club	Season	League			Cup		AFC		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rajasthan United	2021	I-League 2nd Division	1	0	0	0	–		1	0
	2021–22	I-League	14	0	0	0	–		14	0
	2022–23		4	1	5 [a]	2	–		9	3
	Total		19	1	5	2	0	0	24	3
Mumbai City	2022–23	Indian Super League	1	0	0	0	–		1	0
Inter Kashi (loan)	2023–24	I-League	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
Career total			20	1	5	2	0	0	25	3

1. Appearance(s) in Durand Cup

Honours

Mumbai City

• Indian Super League premiership : 2022–23

References

1. "Arunachal boy playing in Hero I-League qualifiers". arunachaltimes.in. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
2. "RUFC Academy player Gyamar Nikum – Youngest Kid and first from Arunachal Pradesh to debut in the I-League Qualifiers". @RajasthanUnited. 21 October 2021.
3. "Arunachal Boy Becomes Youngest Footballer to Play in 'I-League Qualifiers'". ukhrultimes.com. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
4. "I-League: Rajasthan United's teenage prodigy Nikum leaves lasting impression in debut season". aninews.in. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
5. "Footballer Nikum Gyamar of Rajasthan United FC has his sights set on playing for India". telegraphindia.com. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
6. "Nikum Gyamar – the stable midfielder is with us leading from the front as he dons the #rajasthanunited jersey till 2026". @RajasthanUnited. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
7. "Rajasthan United showcase comeback to upset ATK Mohun Bagan". khelnow.com. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
8. "ATK Mohun Bagan 2 – 3 Rajasthan United". the-aiff.com. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
9. "ISL – Mumbai City FC signs youngster Nikum Gyamar". iftwc.com. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
10. "Wonderboy Gyamar Nikum signs deal with Mumbai City FC". arunachaltimes.in. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
11. "Gyamar Nikum joins Mumbai City in a five-year deal". khelnow.com. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
12. https://twitter.com/90ndstoppage/status/1698222778258972724
13. https://www.the-aiff.com/article/i-league-emerging-player-gyamar-nikum-turns-a-role-model-in-arunachal-pradesh
14. "Arunachal: Football prodigy, 17, picked for India U-20 training camp". eastmojo.com. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
15. "Arunachal's Gyamar Nikum called for national football camp". newsfy.in. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
16. Gyamar Nikum at Soccerway