ISL 2018-19: 5 key players for Mumbai City FC this season

#4 Mohammed Rafique (Central Midfielder)

Mohammed Rafique (L)

Now Twenty-seven, Mohammed Rafique's career has been nothing short of an enigma. The central midfielder has never really enjoyed a string of appearances in the Indian Super League. He has a meagre seventeen appearances over three seasons in the league. Remarkably, Rafique also has a title-winning goal to his name.

Four years earlier, the central midfielder rose above the rest to smack the ball into the net as his side Atletico de Kolkata beat Kerala Blasters by a solitary goal in the first-ever ISL final. However, as far as the super league goes, that has been the only remarkable thing Rafique has ever done. Nevertheless, the Indian midfielder did enjoy some great seasons with East Bengal in the I-League and has Eleven national team appearances to his name.

Mumbai City brought in Rafique before the 2018/19 season in a bid to build a new-look squad.

If Jorge Costa puts his faith in the Indian, he can prove to be a key player for the Islanders. The Kolkata-born midfielder can act as a pivot between the attack and the defence and can contribute with set-pieces as well.

Rafique's talent has largely gone unnoticed in the ISL. Maybe this is the year when he properly announces his arrival.