Mohun Bagan Super Giant enter the 2025–26 season at a pivotal point, balancing continuity at the top with a clear-eyed reshaping of the squad.
After establishing themselves as the most consistent force in Indian football over the past few years, the Mariners have opted for a selective rebuild rather than wholesale change strengthening key domestic positions, refreshing attacking options, and moving on from several high-profile names whose cycles at the club had run their course.
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The 2025–26 campaign unfolds in an unusual environment. With the Indian Super League operating in a truncated format and broader uncertainty following the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement, clubs have been forced to think more sharply about squad value, durability, and immediate returns. Mohun Bagan’s response has been pragmatic and assertive. Backed by stable ownership and a clear sporting vision, the club has leaned into quality over quantity, ensuring that any additions either improve the starting XI or deepen competition in critical areas.
Mehtab Singh is the headline domestic signing and arguably the most important. The centre-back arrives to stabilise a defence that needed fresh leadership following recent departures. Comfortable in duels, composed on the ball, and experienced at the ISL level, Mehtab fits the Mariners’ long-standing preference for defenders who can build from the back rather than merely defend deep. His arrival also signals a commitment to Indian cores in key positions.
Abhishek Singh Tekcham adds youth and dynamism at full-back. At just 20, his pace and athleticism offer modern width an attribute Mohun Bagan increasingly rely on to stretch opponents in possession-heavy systems. His signing is as much about the future as the present, ensuring succession planning without compromising competitiveness.
The return of Kiyan Nassiri is both tactical and emotional. A product familiar with the Kolkata cauldron, Nassiri offers versatility across the front line and a knack for decisive moments. Having struggled for consistent minutes elsewhere, his homecoming provides Mohun Bagan with a motivated, rotation-ready attacker who understands derby pressure and late-season stakes.
Up front, the addition of Robson Robinho addresses a creative void left by outgoing foreign attackers. Proven in South Asian football, Robinho brings goals, assists, and the ability to operate between the lines. His adaptability across wings or as a central creator—adds tactical flexibility and reduces the burden on any single playmaker.
Collectively, the incomings reflect a theme: reinforce the spine, add speed and flexibility, and lower the average age without sacrificing experience.
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The departure list is long and, in places, emotionally charged. Greg Stewart, one of the league’s most influential foreign players in recent seasons, exits after injuries and diminishing returns curtailed his impact. His exit frees both a foreign slot and creative responsibility, allowing the club to reimagine its attacking structure.
Defensively, Nuno Reis moves on after a stop-start spell complicated by registration constraints and continental uncertainties. His exit streamlines the foreign contingent and clarifies the centre-back hierarchy. In goal, the exits of Dheeraj Singh and Arsh Sheikh underline a decisive call: continuity behind a clear first-choice. With minutes limited and competition intense, both sought opportunities elsewhere decisions that also reduced congestion in the squad.
Wide players Ashique Kuruniyan and Amandeep depart in search of fresh starts after injuries and reduced roles. Their exits, along with that of Glan Martins (loan conclusion), reflect Mohun Bagan’s intent to refresh energy levels and rebalance the wage structure.
Tactical Implications
The reshaped squad suggests a team built to dominate possession while retaining transitional threat. The defensive additions allow for a higher line and cleaner build-up. In midfield and attack, versatility is the keyword multiple players can interchange roles, helping the Mariners adapt to opponents and game states, particularly in a compressed schedule where rotation will be essential.
Crucially, the reliance on a strong Indian core supplemented by carefully chosen foreigners positions Mohun Bagan well in a season where squad depth and availability could decide the Shield.
With these moves, expectations remain unchanged: Mohun Bagan are still measured by trophies. Anything short of a sustained title push will be seen as underachievement. Yet, the transfer window indicates awareness of longer-term cycles. Younger signings are being blooded alongside proven winners, ensuring competitiveness now while safeguarding the future.
The 2025–26 season, therefore, is less about reinvention and more about calibration. By trimming excess, reinforcing fundamentals, and adding targeted quality, Mohun Bagan Super Giant have set themselves up for another defining campaign one where margins will be thin, but preparation could prove decisive.
