Former Hartlepool United and Sunderland defender joins Indian I-League team in collaboration with La Liga giants

Hartley has returned to India after his second spell with Hartlepool United came to an end this summer.

Hartley enjoyed success with Indian Super League side Jamshedpur before departing ahead of a January move back to the Suit Direct Stadium.

Hartley returned to the club where he spent four years between 2009-2013, making over 180 appearances, but struggled to make an impact with injuries limiting his second stint to just seven appearances as Pools were relegated from the Football League.

The 35-year-old was out of contract in the summer, with the club taking the decision not to extend his short-term deal into the new season.

And the defender has now found a new club having recently been confirmed as Inter Kashi’s first signing.

Inter Kashi are the first professional team based in the state of Uttar Pradesh to play in a national level league in the country.

The club is unique in that it is in collaboration with La Liga side Atletico Madrid who reached an agreement with the RDB Group of Companies to form the partnership having previously shared ownership of Indian Super League team Atletico de Kolkata.

Hartley wrote via social media after his signing was confirmed: “Very excited to join the project at @InterKashi with the collaboration @Atleti under the guidance of coach @c_santamarina.

"I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before we become successful. A difficult task but something we embrace with open arms.”

When speaking to The Mail in January following his return to Hartlepool, Hartley spoke of his affection for India having joined former Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle at Jamshedpur.

"Coming back and reflecting on it I wish I’d done it earlier in my career because the life experience you get is invaluable,” said Hartley.

"You don’t actually realise what you’ve got here until you go to a country like that and work there for three years. It opens your eyes and it gives you a new thought process and look on life. I’m so happy I did it.

"If I want to make a transition to become a coach in the future it’s definitely something I would recommend doing – to work with different cultures and different nationalities of players. But as a player it definitely developed me.

"It was very enjoyable and it gave me a new lease of life and I do believe it came at the right time in my career for me to go out there. It really rejuvenated me.”

Prior to his Hartlepool return, Hartley suggested there were offers for him to remain in India before the 35-year-old made the decision to return home for a number of months before now heading back to South Asia with Inter Kashi.

"There was potentially an opportunity for me to go back to India,” he told The Mail.

"But I just didn’t feel I wanted to go straight back over there. And with my relationship with Jamshedpur, being captain and winning the league, I didn’t want to affect my relationship with such a great club that gave me that opportunity at first.

"I just felt like the right thing for me was to stay in the UK for six months.”