Five key positions Mohun Bagan Super Giants must strengthen in the summer

The defending ISL winners will look to add depth to their squads in crucial positions.

The official transition from ATK Mohun Bagan to Mohun Bagan Super Giants is just a few weeks away. Indeed, the Mariners’ 2022/23 season ended with a win in their crucial AFC Cup preliminary round qualifier game against Hyderabad FC on May 3.

Now, the players have started going back to their respective hometowns for the break. When they return, the club would’ve transitioned to Mohun Bagan Super Giants, the alias they’ll be playing for next season onwards. With the name change, a huge surge in support and higher expectations can be expected for the current ISL champions.

Not only will the Mariners be expected to win trophies next season, but also play attractive football all season long. That isn’t something they managed last season. Juan Ferrando knows that his squad is far from being perfect.

He’ll demand improvement in key areas to fix the flaws in his squad and avoid falling prey to the troubles that plagued his squad in the 22/23 season. That being said, Khel Now looks at the five positions the Mariners need to strengthen in the summer.

5. Right-Back

Asish Rai had a topsy-turvy start to his career with the Kolkata giants, but ended up having a solid first season under Ferrando. However, he was forced to play majority of the games and rough it out in an exhausting schedule – even though ATKMB were lucky he got out unscathed. Mohun Bagan can’t risk that next season.

While Pritam Kotal can play at right-back, he lacks the attacking influence that Ferrando likes in his full-backs. Ferrando will probably look for a young right-back that can be a solid back-up to Rai. He’d like to sign a promising individual that can put pressure on the current right-back and force him to improve his performance as well as maintain utmost consistency.

4. Left-Winger

Dimitri Petratos created the maximum chances for ATK Mohun Bagan last season. Not just that, he created more chances than anyone else in the ISL last season (61) and picked up seven assists in the process. He had to work overtime and play way deeper than expected because of a lack of support. The Mariners struggled to create through their left-wing last season because of the poor form of Liston Colaco. That resulted in them struggling to goals and reverting to a style that many opponents picked up on.

Ferrando will want to fix that issue next season. He’ll aim to sign an exciting, creative winger who can add more incisiveness to his team. Mohun Bagan need a winger who can be consistent with goal contributions as well as have an exciting style where they can take on players and deliver quality crosses. The Mariners might have to jump into the foreigner market for this type of player, but definitely need someone to glow up their attack.

3. Back-up Striker

After his brilliant first season with the Kolkata giants, it’s safe to assume that Petratos is a nailed-on starter for Mohun Bagan Super Giants next season. However, the Mariners shouldn’t be heavily reliant on him and overburden him with responsibilities again. They should look to sign another quality centre-forward who is well capable of adding goals. Considering how ATKMB only scored 24 goals in the league stages last season, they desperately need more players who know how to convert chances.

The Mariners need to sign a clinical striker who is ruthless in the box and possesses impressive finishing skills. They could also do with more physicality to bully opposition defenders and help link-up moves smoothly. If Mohun Bagan wants to challenge for the ISL league title next season, they need another forward that can deliver 10+ goals. There aren’t too many quality Indian options in that regard available, so they might have to scout for a quality foreign player to fulfil that role.

2. Left-Back

Subhashish Bose was a real workhorse for the Mariners last season. He featured in almost every game and helped them maintain a brilliant defensive record, which basically enabled their ISL win. However, Bose was also occasionally error-prone and too predictable with his attacking style. He created just 13 chances in 23 games and provided zero assists. In modern football, a full-back is tasked to create chances along with fulfilling their defensive duties.

Ferrando, in particular, loves full-backs who can deliver on both ends of the pitch. That’s why he might look for an upgrade over Subhashish next season. Mohun Bagan need an exciting left-back that is defensively secure and also capable of creating big chances with their crosses. The Mariners are reportedly looking into a move to sign India international Akash Mishra, who can be the ideal player to add a bigger threat on the left-side for the Kolkata giants.

1. Centre-Midfielder

The root of ATK Mohun Bagan’s creative issues last season was their midfield. The Mariners boasted a strong duo in Carl McHugh-Deepak Tangri and later McHugh-Glan Martins, but it lacked a major factor – creativity. The Mariners don’t really have a reliable No. 8 in their squad right now. Their current deeper midfield options are too defensive and offer little creative threat. Mohun Bagan need to sign a No. 8 who can contribute on both sides of the pitch. That involves being energetic enough to press opponents and regain possession from the opponents, as well as playing defence-splitting forward passes.

They need a player who can be decisive with their progressive passes and help speed up transitions. That can also allow a player like Hugo Boumous to play in a more advanced position and not drop deep to kick-start moves. They need a midfielder that can play passes between the lines and distribute the ball forward quickly. If they’re able to sign an innovative, hard-working midfielder like that, Mohun Bagan can fire on all cylinders and unlock the maximum potential of their frontline.