Mohun Bagan pounce on unsold ISL stars
What's the story?
The footballing giants of Kolkata, Mohun Bagan, are making headlines once again. Following the successful ISL draft that took place just two days ago, a number of promising young players were left scratching their heads as they went unsold in the league's auction. But their saviour has come in the form of Mohun Bagan as the I-League club have reportedly signed a bunch of talented players who were not picked up by any club in the ISL.
Among the players purchased by Mohun Bagan is lightning-quick right back Abhishek Das. The former Chennaiyin FC full back won the ISL in 2015 and was surprisingly undrafted, making him one of the major targets for Mohun Bagan.
Gurjinder Singh is another defender brought in by the club after FC Pune City released the player. He is expected to slot straight into the Bagan first team. Shilton D'Silva and Denson Devadas are also ready to join the fray after they remained unsold in the ISL auction.
In case you didn't know...
This would be the first time that the ISL and the I-League are played at the same time, thus paving the way for more players to showcase their skills and earn a spot on the national team.
Mohun Bagan are one of the strongest teams in the I-League and will hope to reclaim their crown when the league begins later this year.
The heart of the matter
Abhishek Das had played for rivals East Bengal in the past and was even termed "Cafu" by his coach for his likeness to the Brazilian superstar.
The Mariners have also agreed terms with talented wingers Nikhil Kadam and Israil Gurung in order to replace the players who joined the ISL instead of remaining at Bagan.
Bagan and East Bengal are ready to fight it out once the I-League begins after choosing to remain in the competition following the exit of Bengaluru FC and Tata Steel.
What's next?
Mohun Bagan will look to win back the I-League crown and are sure to renew their long standing rivalry with East Bengal when the league begins in a few months.
Author's take
The new signings come at a good time for Bagan as the players will be fresh and ready to train before the league begins. Swooping in for the best unsold players means that the club already have an edge over their rivals in the race to become champions once again.