Top five young midfielders to watch out for in Calcutta Football League 2024

These midfielders will look to create an impact in the ongoing Calcutta Football League 2024.

The 2024 Calcutta Football League (CFL) promises to be a highly entertaining and competitive edition featuring the best Kolkata football has to offer. Of course, the ‘heavyweights’ of Kolkata football in Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting are the overwhelming favourites to clinch the title even though they’ll play reserve players.

As a result, more promising young players should get their chances to impress in the Calcutta Football League. These Indian Super League (ISL) teams will test the character and quality of their youngsters in this competition before deciding if they’re good enough to be in their main squad. Apart from them, the other participating clubs all have quality youth talents to take the Calcutta Football League by storm.

This includes several talented young midfielders they’ll rely upon to control games. These midfielders will likely use this platform to showcase their promising ability and catapult them to the top of Indian football. Here are the five youngsters midfielder to watch out for in the 2024 Calcutta Football League.

5. Satgougun Kipgen (Mohun Bagan)

The Manipur-born midfielder has worked his way to joining a team like Mohun Bagan and is now focused on earning a place in their ISL squad. He can best do so by impressing in the Calcutta Football League campaign and playing a key role in the Mariners’ success. Kipgen, who was also a part of Mohun Bagan’s Durand Cup winning squad last year and made his senior debut too, needs to put that experience to good use.

The defensive-minded midfielder boasts admirable energy and aspires to cover every blade of grass. His ball-winning skills, defensive sturdiness and ability to get the ball forward with swift passes have helped him climb the ranks in Indian football. Now, he will look to prove he can make it among players much older than him by helping his side control and dominate games.

4. Subrata Murmu (East Bengal)

With East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat showing a desire to promote from within the youth system, the CFL poses the perfect chance for their reserve players to prove their quality. One player who can use this to catapult into the first team is Subrata Murmu.

The 21-year-old is an exciting, attack-minded midfielder who can carry the ball forward with ease and also create chances with his clever passing. Murmu impressed for United SC in I-League 2 last season, making 10 appearances and scoring two goals, including one against Shillong Lajong.

Murmu impressed against East Bengal’s reserve side too, catching their attention and compelling them to rope him in. He will need to produce some impactful performances, making things happen in the opposition half and ensuring that the Red and Gold control games emphatically. Murmu has started the CFL campaign well with a goal in East Bengal’s opening game.

3. Sajal Bag (Mohammedan Sporting)

With Mohammedan Sporting set to make their ISL debut next season and yet to finalize their squad, the Calcutta Football League poses the perfect chance for the younger players to book a place in the senior team. This also holds true for exciting young midfielder Sajal Bag, who already boasts decent experience for a 21-year-old.

Bag had a profitable loan spell at Aizawl FC last season, helping add fuel to their midfield with his proactive presence and making 17 appearances in the I-League.

He’s already had a great start in the Calcutta Football League, having scored a brilliant brace in Mohammedan’s 6-0 battering of Wari FC in their opening game. Sajal Bag is technically adept, being able to get past players with ease and link-up smartly to create chances too.

He has lots of energy to win duels and trouble opposition midfielders and needs to maintain consistency with his impressive performances to have a chance of making his ISL debut next season.

2. Sibajit Singh (Mohun Bagan)

Sibajit Singh has been a part of the Mohun Bagan youth setup for a few years now and seems primed to have his breakthrough sooner rather than later. He only received a handful of appearances for the Mariners last season, mostly playing in the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL).

The 21-year-old is quite skillful and composed on the ball, being able to move it into empty pockets nicely and also carry it forward well. He tends to be quite hard-working on the pitch in pressing opponents sharply and getting the ball back for his team. Singh has to play a key role in helping Mohun Bagan control games efficiently to earn Jose Molina’s attention before the 2024-25 season.

1. Shyamal Besra (East Bengal)

Towards the end of the 2023-24 season, Carles Cuadrat vowed big things for Shyamal Besra and hinted that he’s counting on him for the upcoming campaign. A lot of pressure is on the 19-year-old midfielder, who was excellent for East Bengal’s reserve team in the RFDL last season. Shyamal played a key role in helping his side reach the final of the RFDL last season, producing an MVP performance in the semi-finals against Muthoot FA and scoring against them.

The 19-year-old is blessed with a lot of positive traits, as he loves to dribble past players and excels in making special things happen with his intelligent passing. Besra has quite the eye for goal and often pops up in key goal-scoring areas, which can make him a terrorizing figure in the CFL for East Bengal. Besra scored a goal in his side’s 7-1 win over Tollygunge Agragami in the opening game of the CFL season.

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