ATK Mohun Bagan extends contract with Carl McHugh for another year as they prepare for their AFC Cup campaign

Indian Super League outfit ATK Mohun Bagan have extended the contract of Irish midfielder Carl McHugh. The former Motherwell midfielder’s current contract would have ended in May 2022. But the Mariners decided to extend the 29-year-old’s contract by another year keeping the Irishman at the club till the end of the 2022-23 season.

Recent reports suggest that the Green and Maroons will announce the signing of the player soon on their official handles. Carl McHugh has been a vital part of ATK Mohun Bagan’s system. He was a very crucial player for Antonio Habas earlier and now for Juan Ferrando. The Irishman is very versatile with his ability to play in midfield and also slot in at the heart of the defence when needed.

McHugh also was a very important cog in midfield for Habas during his time at ATK as they won the Indian Super League title. However, Habas stepped down from his role in the middle of the season as the Kolkata based club went on to activate Juan Ferrando’s release clause and brought him to ATK Mohun Bagan. Under Habas, McHugh was a regular in the middle of the park and Ferrando now has also shown faith in the 29-year-old versatile midfielder.

The midfielder joined ATK way back in June, 2019 leaving Scottish club Motherwell FC. On his debut year in India, McHugh won the ISL trophy for ATL as they went on to beat Owen Coyle’s Chennaiyin FC. The next season he followed suit to join ATK Mohun Bagan and remain the spearhead midfielder under Habas’ tutelage. He showed great ball control and awareness in deep midfield areas and helped in retrieving the ball back for the Mariners.

Carl McHugh was sensational for ATK Mohun Bagan as the Green and Maroons were in the race to win the IS double. However, they lost the important league clash against Mumbai City FC to finish second missing out on the ISL League winner’s shield and then lost to the Islanders again in the finals.

McHugh also featured in the AFC Cup for ATK Mohun Bagan where they progressed through to the AFC Cup knockouts. However, they got humiliated by FC Nasaf 6-0 in the interzonal semifinals and crashed out of the tournament.

McHugh will be gearing up for another AFC Cup campaign as ATK Mohun Bagan will begin their this season’s AFC Cup journey on the 12th April. The Mariners will face the winner of Nepal’s Machhindra and Sri Lanka’s Blue Star FC.