The common problem Apuia could solve for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan SG if he signs for them

Apuia is one of the most highly rated defensive midfielders of India. And as of late, he has been linked with a move to both Kolkata giants – Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal. While a transfer is far from completed, the 23-year-old’s unique skill set makes him a brilliant signing for any club.

But for East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, there is one problem that he could solve that both teams struggle with. And that is having a reliable player to both play the ball out from the back and to cover the backline.

What Apuia brings to the table that other players don’t

🚨🏅Mumbai City's star, Apuia has a release clause in his contract which is around 2.5cr

– Apuia signing is just a possibility for Mohun Bagan, but it's not Imminent at this stage. It is NOT a done deal yet and club is YET to make an OFFICIAL OFFER to Mumbai City FC

—@MBFT89 pic.twitter.com/RYwcJ5i94f

— Mohun Bagan Hub (@MohunBaganHub) May 14, 2024

East Bengal have Souvik Chakrabarti as their ball-winning midfielder, who is quite effective in certain games. However, he has a tendency to be rash in his tackles which causes him to get booked very frequently. Moreover, his ball-playing ability also leaves something to be desired.

Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, struggle to effectively play out from the back as efficiently as they would want to. While Deepak Tangri and Joni Kauko provide the physicality in the middle of the park, they aren’t as effective on the ball as Apuia.

And while a transfer still seems unlikely considering how important he is for Mumbai City FC, a potential transfer to either club would help solve this unique problem for both teams.