Merger trends: It is now ATK Mohun Bagan Club

ATK Mohun Bagan Club will be the name of the new team that will play in the India Super League (ISL) from now. After debating over a month to finalise the new name for the club following the merger between Mohun Bagan Athletic Club and ATK Football Club last January, it is understood that the new management decided on the name after considering the sentiments of the Mohun Bagan fans, sources told Sportskeeda on Wednesday.

Officially, the RPSG Group, which owns ATK, will acquire 80 per cent in the merged club while Mohun Bagan will have the remaining 20 per cent. It was said that the merged club will come into existence from June 1, 2020 and will compete in the 2020-21 ISL season alongside other competitions organised by the All India Football Federation.

“It seems clear that Mohun Bagan has sold its equity to ATK forever. All rights are owned by ATK now. The management is deciding on the colour of the jersey too. It is going to be interesting. The sentiments of the fans will also be taken into account. Therefore, the colour of the jersey is still being debated. It will certainly have the Mohun Bagan flavour. That is the age-old thing,” a source close to the development said.

This also means that the new club will play all the AFC Cup under the same banner in the months to come. “Mohun Bagan’s athletic and cricket teams will not be under ATK’s control,” the source said.

Mohun Bagan, this year, were also the I-league champions and won’t be playing the premier domestic event because of the merger. “The ISL will be the only competition, which will see the ATK Mohun Bagan Club in action. This is the age-old team in new avtaar,” the source added.