Fran Gonzalez, who played a major role in Mohun Bagan’s I-League triumph and has a year left on his contract with the club, stares at an uncertain future post the merger with ISL champions ATK.

The new entity will play as a new team from the 2020-21 season.

“Honestly I am in love with the city. I would love to be here, but I don’t know if I will be able to play for the new club. I will be more than happy to play for them. I am also in talks with a few other ISL sides. Hopefully something will take shape soon,” Gonzalez told The Telegraph.

Owing to the lockdown, Gonzalez — who scored 10 goals for Mohun Bagan in the I-League — is spending quality time with his two-year-old son Mauro.

Before joining the Maidan giants, Gonzalez played for Real Madrid’s youth team and he did not think very highly of Indian football. But his opinion changed one year down the line. “I thought the standard of the game here would be low. But it is not like that. The teams are very competitive and have quality players,” he said.

With or without the captain’s armband, Gonzalez was a true leader of the team and guided junior players like an elder brother. “As a senior member of the team, my duty is to guide junior players. Leadership comes naturally to me.”

The 31-year-old helped juniors develop basics of the game. During a training session, one of Mohun Bagan’s promising strikers was waiting for the ball to come to him. Gonzalez ran to him and said: “You are just 18 years old and you are waiting for the ball? You should always go for the ball.”

Such tips were helpful.

After the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) approved the recommendations of the league committee and declared Mohun Bagan the I-League champions, Gonzalez said: “I am happy that the federation didn’t listen to people who didn’t want us to be champions.”

Bagan’s dig at EB

The AIFF executive committee on Tuesday approved recommendations of the league committee. Among the major approvals was that the 2019-20 season was complete and Mohun Bagan were the I-League champions.

After the AIFF’s decision, Mohun Bagan issued a statement: “Mohun Bagan have always believed in upholding the spirit of the beautiful game and maintaining integrity both on and off the field. Despite overwhelming support from rest of the clubs, the Mohun Bagan family was shocked by the reaction of East Bengal Club, who against the spirit of the game tried their best to deny a rightful title, which was already mathematically sealed. We hope that their centenary celebrations bring cheer and wish they maintain the spirit of the game in future.”