Hibs hero 'set' to become free agent this summer amid 'grim' financially reality gripping league abroad
The former Hibs star has since featured for the likes of Nottingham Forest.
A Hibs hero is reportedly set to be seeking a new club as a dire financial situation plays out in his current league.
Jason Cummings has reinvented himself since leaving his last Scottish football stint at Dundee in 2022. He hit the goal trail with Central Coast Mariners in an 18-month stint as Australian national team duties called. Cummings - who started his career at Hibs and won the Scottish Cup in 2016 before moving to Nottingham Forest - has been at Indian Super League team Mohun Bagan since 2023 with 33 goals and 12 assists in 86 games.
It’s been a torrid period for the ISL after their 2025/26 season was delayed then curtailed. Each of the 14 teams played a round-robin league rather than a traditional home and away format after a rights agreement expired in December last year. Ex Hibs and Nottingham Forest striker Cummings is now set to move on at the end of his deal.
Why would Jason Cummings leave India?
Cummings penned a three-year deal at the Kolkata-based club and Mohun Bagan have asked the league for guidance on how many games will be played next season. With almost 150 players out of contract across the division, the Hibs hero is one of those poised to make way, as per The Press Trust of India.
It’s stated: “Nearly 150 players of the Indian Super League, including more than 20 in the national team currently or in the recent past, have expired their contracts with the various clubs, and their future thrown into uncertainty due to the mess in the top tier of the country's domestic structure.
“The contracts of these players ended on Sunday and there has been uncertainty all around as the tussle between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the clubs continue over the future of the ISL next season. Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who finished runners-up in the recently-concluded season, are set to ask the AIFF about the next ISL season, whether it will be a full-fledged one or a curtailed league like 2025-26. They will take a call on the budget for the new season and sign players accordingly. MBSG are set to release foreign players Tom Aldred, Dimitri Petratos and Jason Cummings.”
What is financial situation of Indian Super League?
A former official made clear the financial difficulties India’s domestic league faces. It’s claimed: "It's a grim situation in the ISL and Indian football as a whole. The players will be the worst sufferers. Since they are free agents, their negotiating power is less and clubs are likely to quote less fee for them when they sign contracts.
“In normal circumstances, players would have bargaining power but may not be in this current situation. The players are in a disadvantage and there is chance of their exploitation. The clubs will also not get transfer fees in case of many players, so they will be poorer financially.
“There are a lot of players from the north-east in the ISL clubs. These players have come out of their states to play in big clubs and in the ISL and to earn money to support their families back home. So, the uncertainty on getting a club to play will hit them hard."
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