What does Mohun Bagan need to do in January transfer window?

The Mariners enter the January window looking strong but a few tweaks could help them further.

Mohun Bagan have had an impressive first half of the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season in which they have been able to storm to the top of the league table. Under Jose Molina’s guidance, the Kolkata heavyweights have firmly established themselves as favourites to reclaim the ISL League Shield title after having won it last season.

Despite their impressive performances in recent months, there are elements in the Mohun Bagan squad that need improvement. Molina is a bit shortstaffed in a few particular positions, causing him a few headaches this season.

How is the season going?

After a shaky start to the campaign which saw them win one of their first three ISL games, Mohun Bagan have bounced back strongly. They have won eight of the last 10 games in the division in compelling fashion to sprint ahead of the likes of Bengaluru FC and FC Goa in the battle for the top spot.

The Mariners have picked up compelling victories in the Kolkata derbies against East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. They have also comprehensively defeated the likes of NorthEast United, Punjab FC and Jamshedpur FC to flex their power. They have a brilliant home form, having gone unbeaten at the Salt Lake Stadium and won five of their six matches so far.

After having played 13 matches, Mohun Bagan have scored the most number of goals (26) and conceded the fewest (13) as well. They have become decisive and clinical going forward and maintained a strong defensive shape to reiterate them as the strongest team in the division.

Also read: What does Mumbai City FC need to do in January transfer window?

How are the summer signings performing?

Mohun Bagan are reaping the rewards of an impressive 2024 summer transfer window where they opted to make some radical changes to the squad. Their star summer signing, Australian forward Jamie Maclaren is getting better with each passing appearance after struggling with injury issues early on.

He’s scored five goals in the ISL so far this season, including in both the Kolkata derbies. The Australian forward has added energy and explosiveness to the frontline with his energetic presence. Mohun Bagan have also been significantly uplifted by the arrival of Greg Stewart, who has been weaving magic with his creativity and final product, having six goal contributions in eight ISL games so far.

Mohun Bagan have also benefitted from their new defensive duo Tom Aldred and Alberto Rodriguez. The Australian centre-back and Spanish defender have formed a stubborn backline, using their physicality and tactical acumen to trouble forwards.

The Mariners’ star domestic signing, Lalengmawia Ralte, has also fitted to the club like a glove and has helped them control games by being a hard-working and smart midfielder. Nuno Reis and Dheeraj Singh, however, are yet to play any minutes for the Mariners.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The Mariners have a plethora of strengths that have uplifted their campaign so far. They have formed a sturdy backline that has helped them keep the opposition players at bay and automatically increase the team’s chances of churning up the wins.

The strong partnership maintained by their new foreigner centre-back pair as well as the contributions from captain Subhasish Bose and Asish Rai has allowed the players in front of them to be expressive and fearless going forward.

Mohun Bagan are also lucky to have an impressive foreigner core and multiple options at their disposal for the attacking areas. Maclaren and Jason Cummings’ competition has increased Mohun Bagan’s goal-scoring threat, while Greg Stewart has been that special creative talent to unlock their attacking qualities. Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco have also gotten better, adding a lot of unpredictability and style to their attacking force.

While the Mariners have a pretty strong squad, their weakness lies in lack of options in a few key positions. They have limited options for the full-back positions, especially with Subhasish Bose being the only natural left-back. There is also a lack of commanding centre-backs apart from Aldred and Rodriguez, causing potential trouble if they are unavailable.

What do they need in the January window?

Mohun Bagan probably need to enter the winter transfer market and buy some options that can give them that added push to win the ISL league shield and hopefully the ISL cup at the end of the campaign. They need to try and sign a reliable Indian centre-back to lessen the load on Rodriguez and Aldred, as well as keep an option to play more foreign players in attacking positions.

The Mariners could do with a proactive centre-back like Hyderabad FC man Alex Saji, or even look into a return for former captain Pritam Kotal in this position. An experienced centre-back would probably be preferred as Molina would want someone who can seamlessly adapt to his style and add their own authority to the squad.

The Mariners also probably need to try and sign a new left-back to be able to work as Subhasish Bose’s replacement if he’s unavailable. Ashique Kuruniyan is not a natural left back and Molina should look to play him further forward rather than have him as another left-back option.

Moreover, if they’re able to sign a young left-back who is reliable on both halves of the pitch, the Mariners can also secure a strong option for that position for the long term. Mohun Bagan’s big ambition levels mean they’ll want to win the majority of their matches in the second half of the campaign.

To do so, they need to bulk up their squad a little bit with more quality, natural options in key positions in the squad and ensure that even untimely injuries don’t significantly hinder the performances of the team for the rest of the season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.