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Kolkata-based ATK Mohun Bagan is known for their player recruitment. The Green and Maroon brigade usually get the best names suited for the desired position and this transfer window hasn't been any different either.
Having bagged Asish Rai from ISL Trophy winners Hyderabad FC and Ashique Kuruniyan from Bengaluru FC, the club looks determined to kick off their season with a bang.
Head coach Juan Ferrando's earliest recruitment was young Lalrinliana Hnamte, who grabbed the Spaniard's attention in the last edition of the ISL. Hnamte was followed by Asish Rai and Ashique Kuruniyan, who recently joined the club.
However, with the transfer window far from over, the Mariners have a good chance of adding depth and quality to their team, keeping in mind their aspirations.
On that note, here are three Indian players ATK Mohun Bagan should target ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season:
#1 Bikash Yumnam
The 18-year-old defender from Manipur started his professional football career with the Indian Arrows on February 5, 2020, against NEROCA FC. He impressed the technical staff at RoundGlass Punjab FC and was lured by the Warriors ahead of the 2020-21 season.
Having earned 20 caps for the Warriors, Bikash Yumnam became a significant player in RoundGlass Punjab FC's defense. He earned the trust of all three head coaches he worked with.
Last season, the Manipuri-defender even played as a full-back for RoundGlass Punjab FC and excelled at it. He ticks all the boxes that fit the current requirements of the ATK Mohun Bagan setup.
#2 Emil Benny
The 21-year-old box-to-box midfielder lifted his second consecutive I-League trophy with Gokulam Kerala FC, silencing Mohammedan SC in front of their fans in a packed Salt Lake Stadium.
Emil Benny was the perfect antidote to the midfield setup of the other I-League sides. The industrious lad from Wayanad puzzled opposition think-tanks with his movements, making it difficult to mark him or close passing lanes leading to him.
Emil Benny seems like a perfect fit for ATK Mohun Bagan's style of play given his wide array of skills. His pace and lung-busting runs up and down the pitch make him a suitable option on the flanks as well as a box-to-box midfielder.
#3 Rahim Ali
Rahim Ali, the Mohun Bagan academy graduate, can fit into a central role amidst the front three or the front two. The 22-year-old striker, currently plying his trade for ISL side Chennaiyin FC, is a nightmare for defenders.
Although most coaches prefer deploying a foreign national in the role of a striker, Juan Ferrando is known to use an Indian player with the 3-5-2 formation he used while at FC Goa. Devendra Murgaonkar was a key player alongside Airam Cabrera in that formation.
Ali could also feature as a replacement for a foreigner and prove to be a lethal asset with his physical prowess and movement in the final third.
