How last season finished determined the shape of Mohun Bagan’s summer. The Mariners surrendered the 2025/26 title to East Bengal, with the two teams finishing level on points and the Torchbearers claiming the championship on goal difference. The club’s answer was a sweeping overhaul. Sergio Lobera departed, and Panagiotis Dilmperis, previously of Punjab FC, was named head coach.
The overseas quota is where that change shows most clearly. As with every ISL club, Mohun Bagan has six registered foreign players, yet only two were kept from last season, meaning four are new. There is a pattern to the players brought in as well. The club appeared to favour foreigners who had already played and thrived in the ISL with other sides. That reduces the adaptation risk that overseas recruits in India typically carry.
Since the season kicks off on October 10, no league fixtures have taken place as yet. This evaluates the foreign signings on paper rather than judging how they perform.
Below is a look at each of the six.
The new arrivals
Miguel Figueira: the marquee signing
No other signing generated as much drama as this one. The Brazilian midfielder joined on a free transfer from East Bengal, where he claimed the 2025/26 Golden Ball with two goals and five assists, and his switch to their arch-rivals enraged East Bengal’s supporters.
The raw numbers look modest, but his worth lies in the way he creates chances. He delivers set pieces well, and his physical frame allows him to drive the ball into dangerous areas, making him a threat on the counter-attack. At 26, he is the youngest of the six as well, making him the player most likely to maintain or grow his value across multiple seasons.
Snatching the league’s top player from the side that defeated you for the title is also a significant boost for the club. In a single stroke, it makes Mohun Bagan stronger while weakening a direct competitor. The danger is that he is now the centrepiece of the attack, and the pressure that comes with a derby-rivalry transfer is genuine. Should he deliver, it will rank among the season’s most discussed transfers. If he falters in his first Kolkata derby, the criticism will be deafening.
Dejan Drazic: speed and adaptability from Goa
The Serbian forward found the net six times and provided three assists for FC Goa in 2025/26. His natural position is left winger, though he can also operate as an attacking midfielder or center-forward. At 30, he brings a different profile than Figueira: direct, fast, and at ease drifting inside from the wing.
His versatility is important under a new coach who is still figuring out his preferred formation. A forward capable of filling three roles gives Dilmperis tactical flexibility and injury cover. The real question is his end product. Nine goal contributions are decent but not elite, and given the talent around him, Mohun Bagan will expect more.
Samir Zeljkovic: the coach’s own pick
Among the four new arrivals, he is the one most closely tied to the manager. The Bosnian midfielder is the sole former Punjab FC player to join Dilmperis in Kolkata, meaning he already knows the Greek coach’s approach. That familiarity is precious in a squad undergoing so much change.
His job is to provide stability. He is there to add depth so the club need not depend on the Lalengmawia Ralte and Anirudh Thapa pairing every week, and he excels at reading build-up play and recovering the ball. He is registered as either a defensive midfielder or a center-back, which comes in handy since Mohun Bagan lacks depth in foreign center-backs (more on that later).
He won’t make the front pages, but a ball-winning midfielder who already understands the manager’s system is the sort of signing that usually improves as the season progresses.
Lee Erwin: the striker brought in as a replacement
The 32-year-old Scottish forward has been a professional for more than 14 years and arrives to fill the gap left by Jason Cummings, following a stint at Al-Faisaly. He is a traditional penalty-box striker, prized for his off-the-ball movement and finishing rather than his speed or dribbling.
Among the four, he carries the most risk. Unlike the others, he joins from a league outside the ISL, making him the one with no proven record in Indian football. His career has taken in Leeds United, Motherwell, and St Mirren, which shows he is experienced, yet experience gained in Scotland and Saudi Arabia does not ensure goals in India’s heat, travel and pitches.
He will also be competing with Maclaren for playing time, so how Dilmperis divides minutes between the two will be important.
The two who remained
Jamie Maclaren: still the primary goal threat
Maclaren is still the club’s most dependable finisher. Last season he netted 10 goals in 13 appearances, placing him among the league’s leading scorers. He also boasts a record in big matches here: he was named Player of the Match in the 2025 ISL Cup final, a 2-1 extra-time victory over Bengaluru that sealed a league and cup double.
The worry is his age and the workload. At 33, he can no longer be expected to start every game over a long home-and-away season. With the schedule returning to a full format after a shortened campaign, that becomes a genuine concern. Erwin’s arrival eases the burden, but only if Erwin performs.
Alberto Rodriguez: the defensive cornerstone
The Spanish centre-back has been retained for at least one more campaign. He is recognised for his aggressive tackling and ability to win duels, poses a threat at set pieces, and distributes well from the back, and he is anticipated to partner with Rahul Bheke. He featured in just 10 matches last season, so at 33, fitness is the primary concern.
This represents the squad’s most significant structural weakness. One report pointed out that Mohun Bagan has only one traditional foreign center-back this season. Should Rodriguez be injured or suspended, Zeljkovic is the obvious cover from the foreign contingent, but that would remove him from midfield. Bheke and the other Indian center-backs will need to remain solid.
How the group appears overall:
Strengths:
The quality in attack and midfield is high. Figueira, Drazic, Maclaren, and Erwin provide Dilmperis with four distinct forward profiles: a creator, a winger, a proven scorer, and a penalty-box finisher. Most of the group are also familiar with the league, meaning fewer surprises. Other analysts have considered Mohun Bagan’s window as the strongest in the league, since the signings addressed multiple areas simultaneously.
Weaknesses:
Age is the clear one. Three of the six are 32 or older, and a fourth is 30. Over a lengthy season with travel throughout India, that increases injury and rotation concerns. The balance also leans forward. Four of the six are attackers or attacking midfielders, and only Rodriguez is a true defender, with Zeljkovic capable of covering.
The unknown:
Dilmperis is new, and so is most of his foreign group. The speed at which they gel will shape the opening months. The early schedule provides a soft beginning: the season kicks off with an away match at NorthEast United on October 12, while the first Kolkata derby versus East Bengal takes place at home on November 29. That derby is the moment the Figueira narrative reaches its height, and it arrives soon enough to set the tone for the whole season.
Verdict:
On paper, this is a compelling and cleverly built foreign contingent. The club signed proven ISL talent, retained its top scorer, and sent a message by poaching the league’s best player from its fiercest rival. It tackles last season’s disappointment head-on.
The concerns are age, limited foreign cover in defence, and adapting to a new head coach. Should Figueira and Drazic create chances, Maclaren and Erwin split the scoring, and Rodriguez remain healthy, this squad is good enough to claim the title. If injuries strike the older players or the attack leans too heavily on one or two individuals, the room for mistakes vanishes quickly.
The genuine answer will emerge from October 12 onward.
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