East Bengal FC are heading into this campaign as the defending champions, bagging their maiden title in the Indian Super League since their debut in 2020 and also winning the Durand Cup title by defeating arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giants 4-1 in the final. However, they faced a 1-0 defeat in the IFA Shield final against the same opponents.
The club under Habas has undergone major changes in its foreign contingent, with only the Palestinian defensive midfielder Mohammed Rashid, who also wears the captain’s armband, continuing for the upcoming season from the previous season’s foreign players in the squad.
The club has undergone a massive squad overhaul this summer and has signed several key domestic players and made big-profile international signings for the upcoming season as the team also competes in the AFC Champions League Two, adding another level of competition.
They acquired the services of players like Phurba Lachenpa, Danish Farooq, Boris Singh, and Narender Gahlot to strengthen their Indian core. The other key arrivals are Rohit Danu, Raynier Fernandes, Rohit Kumar, Hardik Bhatt, and Sandip Mandi, who bring additional strength to the team.
The International incomings for the upcoming season are Ake Loba from Ivory Coast, whom the management may expect to fill in the boots of Youssef Ezzejjari, who had a great stint last season. Lukasz Zwoliński is another player from Poland who also has great experience and will help in the upfront. Chris Ikonomidis, who comes from the A-League, will maintain the wings and bolster the attack.
Nsungusi Effiong will also be a key player whom the management and the fans are expecting to maintain the same consistency in the attacking third as he did in Punjab FC last season. The Spaniard Dani Ramírez will bring classic Spanish flair and ball control and act as an attacking midfielder, and Nacho Monsalve, who also hails from Spain, will be a great addition to the defensive line, commanding the back four. East Bengal has also signed Croatian centre-back Diego Zivulic, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, which is a great addition to their backline.
East Bengal has a deep pool of eight foreign players in their squad currently, as the team had to compete in the AFC Champions League Two after winning the title last season. As ISL only allows registration of only upto six foreign players, it is to be seen who will have to stay out in the initial phases of the season. This also gives the team the advantage to rotate their players to maintain the balance in squad performance during the season.
Diego Živulić
Diego Živulić plays as a defensive midfielder and centre-back and will be a very useful addition to the squad. His physial presence, aerial ability, defensive positioning, and experience, along with his height advantage, help the team in defending set pieces and dealing with physically demanding opponents.
He debuted in the AFC Champions League match against Al-Hussein and was a solid physical presence at the back. However, the player is yet to perform well for the team and has been prone to continuous defensive errors, as seen in the Durand Cup against Northeast United, which helped them score their opening goal of the match, and struggles in counterattacks while facing Mohun Bagan in the final.
- Strengths: Aerial ability,physicality, versatility
- Weaknesses: Mobility, transition defence
- Rating: 7/10
Nacho Monsalve
Nacho Monsalve adds experience and physicality to East Bengal’s defense. The 32-year-old Spanish centre-back came through Atletico Madrid’s academy and has experience playing in the Netherlands and Spain, including a spell with FC Twente. His strengths are primarily defensive skills like reading the game, positioning, physical defending, and aerial presence.
Nacho was brought in as a replacement for Kevin Sibile as East Bengal needed an experienced centre-back who can partner with Anwar Ali and take control of the backline. Though the player’s fitness will be a concern as he suffered a knee injury in the Durand Cup, if healthy and fit, his experience could be particularly valuable given East Bengal’s involvement in both the ISL and the AFC Champions League 2.
- Strengths: Positioning, aerial ability, experience
- Weaknesses: Fitness concerns, pace
- Rating: 7.5/10
Mohammed Rashid
The Palestinian defensive midfielder who captains the side for the continental-level competitions is the only player to continue for the upcoming season from last season’s foreign contingent. He was an integral part of the team’s 2025-26 title-winning campaign, making 12 appearances and starting 11 of them.
Rashid’s biggest strengths are his ball composure, passing, work rate, and ability to control the team’s tempo from the midfield, while his experience at international and club level gives him the maturity to handle high-pressure situations during matches. His free-kick that led to the equalising goal and a wonderful volley against Al Arabi in the 2026 AFC Champions League 2 showed his leadership skills.
He also led the team to the 2026 Durand Cup title, scoring once in the finals against South United. Rashid’s importance in the squad is that of a great leader who manages the midfield and brings rapport among the players.
- Strengths: Leadership, composure, passing
- Weaknesses: Mobility, high-press resistance
- Rating: 8.5/10
Lukasz Zwoliński
Lukasz Zwoliński is an experienced Polish striker who joins East Bengal from Turkish side Sakaryaspor and has more than 200 appearances in the Polish top-division Ekstraklasa. Zwoliński acts as a centre-forward who is comfortable playing back to goal, holding up the ball and attacking in the penalty area.
Lukasz also scored in his debut match for East Bengal, which came against Northeast United in the IFA Shield semi-final match, where the team won 7-2. His movement inside the box and ability to bring teammates into play are his key strengths, while his experience at the highest level adds to his experience in handling pressure situations.
It is to be seen whether he can carry the responsibility of goal-scoring capacity left by last season’s golden boot winner Youssef Ezzejjari.
- Strengths: Hold-up play, positioning, experience
- Weaknesses: Recent scoring form, consistency
- Rating: 7/10
Ake Loba
Ake Loba brings a completely different attacking profile to the team. The 28-year-old Ivory Coast striker has experience in Liga MX and MLS, playing for teams like Monterrey, Nashville FC, and Mazatlán, and won the CONCACAF Champions League with Monterrey in 2021. He found the back of the net against Northeast United in the IFA Shield semi-final, and his appearance coming off the bench in the second half provided strength to the team in the final.
Loba’s strengths are his pace, acceleration, and his ability to move past defenders, allowing him to stretch opposition defences rather than simply operating as a traditional target man. He also possesses great physique and is capable of carrying the ball over distance, making him particularly dangerous during transitions. At East Bengal, Loba gives Habas an attacking option who can exploit the space created by a more conventional striker like Zwoliński.
The main challenge faced by the player will be turning his explosive movement into consistent goal contributions in the ISL.
- Strengths: Pace, acceleration, physicality
- Weaknesses:Goal consistency, adaptation
- Rating: 8/10
Nsungusi Effiong
Nsungusi Effiong was brought in by East Bengal after a great spell in Punjab FC in the previous season, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in 12 appearances, demonstrating his ability to make an immediate impact in Indian Football.
Effiong’s strengths lie in physicality, direct running, attacking movement, and finishing. His experience in the ISL makes him a useful option for understanding and adapting to the Indian system and thereby creating a threat to the defensive units. However, Effiong’s presence in the initial phases of the season is uncertain, as reports suggest his visa has not yet been cleared.
- Strengths:Finishing, direct runs, physicality
- Weaknesses:Limited top-level experience, consistency
- Rating: 7.5/10
Dani Ramírez
Dani Ramírez is a creative addition to the squad, a 34-year-old Spaniard who came through the Real Madrid youth system. Dani also played alongside Effiong at Punjab FC, scoring four goals and two assists and creating 44 chances in the ISL. Ramírez also scored in the 7-2 semi-final against Northeast United and assisted Anwar Ali’s goal, giving the team a 2-0 lead against Al Arabi in the ACL Two match, though the match ended 2-2.
His biggest strengths are his vision, passing range, ability to operate between the lines, and capacity to unlock compact defenses. His versatility allows him to operate in several midfield and attacking positions.
Ramirez’s ability to supply East Bengal’s forward line and fill in the void left by the Golden Ball winner of the 25-26 season, Miguel Figueira, gives him a great responsibility for the upcoming season.
- Strengths: Vision, creativity, passing
- Weaknesses: Age, physical intensity
- Rating: 8.5/10
Chris Ikonomidis
Chris Ikonomidis gives East Bengal a versatile attacking option with considerable experience across Australian and European football. The 31-year-old Australian has played for clubs including Lazio, Salernitana, AGF Aarhus, Melbourne Victory and Macarthur, and has also represented the Australian national team.
Chris scored in the 7-2 match against Northeast United and also assisted the goal by PV Vishnu against Indian Army in the Durand Cup, but had limited impact coming off the bench in the IFA Shield finals. He is versatile and can operate on both wings and also play as an attacking midfielder, and move into central areas when required. This flexibility will be of great value to Habas.
- Strengths:Versatility,technique, experience
- Weaknesses: Consistency, fitness
- Rating: 8/10
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