New Delhi, Jul 4 (IANS): Indian women's football team midfielder Manisha Kalyan has signed a two-year contract with Cyprus's champion club Apollon Ladies FC.

Kalyan's senior teammate, striker Dangmei Grace has also secured a move abroad, joining Uzbekistan's FC Nasaf Qarshi on a six-month deal.

With the move, Manisha Kalyan is set to become the first Indian player to play in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The Cypriot club will participate in the Round 1 qualifying playoff for the UEFA Women's Champions League and are set to take on Latvia's Riga FC on August 18.

Manisha Kalyan won the AIFF Emerging Player Award in 2021 after cementing her place in the senior national team. Manisha Kalyan who hails from the Hoshiarpur district in Punjab came through India's age-group teams. The 20-year-old has scored four times for the national team, most notably against Brazil in November 2021. A move to Europe should further help her aid her progress as a player.

Dangmei Grace who has been with the senior national team since 2013 featured for Gokulam Kerala FC in the Hero Indian Women's League but will now be heading to Uzbekistan for a short stint. Dangmei Grace who hails from Manipur grew up idolising Indian football legend Bem Bem Devi and won the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2019.