Three East Bengal players who can benefit from Hiroshi Ibusuki's signing

Hiroshi Ibusuki last played for Western United FC in the A-League.

East Bengal have strengthened their attacking force with the signing of Japanese forward Hiroshi Ibusuki ahead of the 2025-26 Super Cup tournament. After having parted ways with Dimitrios Diamantakos following the Durand Cup, the Red & Gold Brigade have been swift in signing a quality replacement in the form of the 34-year-old Japanese forward.

Ibusuki is a highly experienced player who played in Spain for many years, as well as impressing in the J1 League and A-League. The 6’5’ striker can be a bullish figure to defend against because of his proactive nature in the final third, physical prowess, and ability to make things happen in the final third.

The Japanese forward will be eager to create a nice chemistry with his new East Bengal teammates once he joins up in training. However, some particular players can really benefit from the inclusion of a striker like Ibusuki in the team and feed off his qualities. Here we look at the three East Bengal players who can benefit from the 34-year-old’s signing.

Also Read: Three ways Hiroshi Ibusuki’s signing can improve East Bengal in 2025-26 season

3. Miguel Figueira

Miguel Figueira made a pretty good impression in his first few games as an East Bengal player in the Durand Cup. The Brazilian midfielder is a breath of fresh air because of his driving ability with the ball, as well as his impressive delivery into the box.

That is one of the reasons Figueira will probably be delighted with the arrival of a clinical new forward like Ibusuki to the East Bengal squad. Hiroshi’s physical attributes and height should help him win a lot of aerial duels against Indian defenders, and Figueira can use that to his advantage.

The Brazilian midfielder is also a set-piece specialist, and he’ll look to fling in inviting crosses for the Japanese forward to latch onto inside the box. Figueira will look to create a nice understanding with Ibusuki, playing smart passes to release him into the final third and also linking up with him to bolster East Bengal’s attacking prowess.

2. Hamid Ahadad

The good thing about Ibusuki’s signing is that East Bengal have signed him knowing that the forward will be well suited to Oscar Bruzon’s 4-4-2 formation. The Spanish gaffer used a two-striker formation for a large chunk of the 2024-25 campaign, and there is a strong chance that he does the same this time around as well.

That means the arrival of a hard-working forward like Ibusuki can be a blessing in disguise for Hamid Ahadad as well. Some might perceive the Japanese forward’s arrival as somewhat threatening to the Moroccan forward, who scored two goals in the Durand Cup after arriving at East Bengal.

However, having a strike partner will keep Ahadad on his toes and fully motivated to consistently produce his best performances. Moreover, Ibusuki’s arrival means that the entire goal-scoring burden won’t be placed on Hamid Ahadad. Ibusuki will look to form a strong partnership with Hamid, which includes them linking up together and positioning themselves sharply to torment defenders and score plenty of goals for East Bengal.

1. Naorem Mahesh Singh

Naorem Mahesh Singh has added responsibilities on his shoulders in the 2025-26 season after having been appointed as the East Bengal captain. He looked sharp and enterprising in the Durand Cup campaign, producing some notable performances.

Mahesh remains one of the most creative players around in Indian football, but could only bag one assist after creating 35 goal-scoring chances for East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) last season. He will hope for a much better return in that aspect in the 2025-26 season and can actually benefit from the arrival of Ibusuki.

The Japanese forward is not only an expert in winning aerial battles and scoring headers, but he also boasts the positional sense and game-reading ability to click with creative players. Mahesh will look to play clever passes to release Ibusuki into the empty areas in the final third and also use his expert crossing ability to set up big chances.

Once they’re able to get into their groove, Mahesh and Hiroshi can combine to cause a lot of trouble to defenders and overall enhance the attacking prowess of East Bengal.

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