Scouting Report: Who is Mohun Bagan's teenage sensation Sk Sahil?

The 19-year-old midfielder has caught the eye of many with his brilliance on the pitch in his debut season.

Khel Now takes a look at the breakthrough star for Mohun Bagan this season - Sk Sahil. The 19-year-old central midfielder is nominated for the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award for his brilliant performances for the Mariners, which led them to the I-League title.

Sahil has now become hot property in Indian football and while teams tussle for his signature, we take a look at the youngster who can be a household name in Indian football in the years to come.

Scouting Report

Age: 19

Date of Birth: 28 April 2000

Position: Centre/ Defensive Midfielder

Height: 175cm

I-League Debut

SK Sahil made his I-League debut for Mohun Bagan in the 2019-20 season opener against Aizawl FC when he replaced PM Britto in the second half. However, his first start in the league came in their fourth match against Gokulam Kerala, where he inspired the Mariners to a 2-1 win in a thrilling encounter.

Positives

Sahil's first and primary positive is his character. Despite being in his first season as a senior professional, he always gave his best. He was very calm and composed even in crunch matches, something which must have impressed head coach Kibu Vicuna. He hardly crumbled under pressure and was always in sync with the likes of Joseba Beitia and Fran Gonzalez.

A wide range of passing is another huge positive of his game. The 19-year-old was a centre-back in the junior team and was transformed into a midfielder by Vicuna, mainly due to his passing ability.

Aspects to Improve

Even with all the technical ability and passing statistics, Sk Sahil is far from being the finished product. He might be very mature for his age, but still needs to prove himself n terms of consistently.

Other than his passing and persistent work-rate Sahil needs to improve on his tackling, as this season he has won only 50% of his tackles. At 19, the young lad will go up a few notches in terms of physicality in the near future, making him more suitable to win duels in the middle of the park.

Similar to

Mohun Bagan under Vicuna played a good brand of passing football which had shades of Erik ten Haag's Ajax from last season. Sahil's role was very similar to what Frenkie de Jong was deployed in the Dutch outfit's formation. He, just like the Dutchman, is capable on both fronts, but drops deep between the defenders in pressure situations and also gets heavily involved in attacking build-ups.

The youngster also has stark similarity with Lenny Rodrigues, mainly with his passing and ability to work tirelessly in the middle. Although, he does need a lot of polishing and experience.

Future

Sk Sahil has managed to strike the right chords this season with Mohun Bagan and while Indian Super League teams are interested in the young midfielder, he himself needs a side where he will be given regular game-time to continue his development. Choosing the right club is the need of the hour for the 19-year-old, considering his main dream is to don the Indian national team jersey.

The midfielder rose through the ranks at Bagan. Featuring as a centre back for the club's junior teams in various age-group competitions, he was one of the top performers. His performances therefore earned him a call-up for trials with the senior side.

Kibu Vicuna observed him closely and then looking at his physical abilities and great passing range decided to transform him into a central midfielder. Sahil eventually became a vital cog in the Spaniard's side which created history.

Sahil's incredible 87% passing accuracy (third highest) proves the type of impact he has had in the team's build-up play. In the presence of several experienced and talented foreigners and Indian players, Sahil stands tall with his passing statistics proving his reliability. In fact, the youngster has a higher pass success rate than several India internationals including Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes and even Lenny Rodrigues.

Apart from the passing attributes, Sk Sahil has been tireless with his defensive duties. His 90 ball recoveries and 64 interceptions speak for themselves. The youngster from Bengal can also shield his backline, recycle possession and disrupt opponent teams' momentum with his timely interceptions.

Moreover, Sahil's performances received the best recognition when Mohun Bagan won the league with four games to spare. With several clubs ready to pounce for his signature in the transfer market, Sk Sahil must take time and plan out his next move, a decision that will play a big role in shaping his footballing career.