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Simon Phillips has backed future Chelsea Christopher Nkunku transfer to be a "really good signing".

What's the latest on Christopher Nkunku and Chelsea?

As per trusted transfer source Fabrizio Romano, the RB Leipzig attacker has already agreed to join the Blues and will become a Premier League player in July 2023.

No doubt, this will be a really exciting deal as Nkunku will arrive in England with a big reputation. Indeed, he has 64 goals and 52 assists in 164 outings at his current club.

Seeing as Chelsea are currently struggling for goals right now – having scored just once in their last five games across all competitions – they could really use the 25-year-old right.

However, the Blues will have to make do with the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Joao Felix until the end of the season.

And while speaking to Football FanCast, Phillips suggested that Nkunku could potentially come in and provide a better option to the attack with Mudryk underperforming and Felix's future uncertain while only on loan from Atletico Madrid.

He said: "But I think Nkunku, going back to him, he's a very tidy player, a very good player. He can do a bit of everything.

"You know, he can come up with goals, he can create goals. And that's exactly what Chelsea had been missing in his current squad right now.

"And he's a player who is still young, he is just going to get better and better and develop. And I do think that this one will prove to be a really good signing.

"Perhaps, you know, the area on the pitch that he plays, he operates from more on on the left. There's question marks about signing Mudryk and spending £88m on him, and what will happen with Felix who also likes to operate in a similar area.

"But in terms of Mason Mount, I think they're two different positions and two different players."

Have Mudryk and Felix been Chelsea flops?

Interestingly, Liverpool turned down the chance to sign the midfielder last summer.

As alluded to by Phillips, Mudryk hasn't really made a fast start to life in England. Indeed, he has often been slammed by fans for his displays and the £97k-p/w star is still yet to score a first goal.

Felix hasn't necessarily done that much better either – with two goals, zero assists and one red card in 14 games – so maybe Nkunku could outshine them both.

After all, he has 17 goals and five assists in all competitions this term. If he can bring that form to the Premier League, Chelsea certainly would be landing a special talent.

Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo "could still end up at Arsenal" this summer, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are gearing for an all-important, blockbuster clash in the race for this season's Premier League title as Mikel Arteta's side travel to the Etihad Stadium this evening.

League rivals Man City have gained serious momentum of late, turning it up a gear with no side beating them in any competition since Tottenham in early February. In that time, Pep Guardiola's Blues have scored a ridiculous 49 goals in 16 games, owing to their ruthlessness in the attacking areas.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have dropped points in each of their last three league games – drawing away to Liverpool, West Ham and at home to Southampton.

Tonight's encounter may well determine who clinches this year's domestic crown at it is the job of Arteta to stifle City's imperious run of form.

In the background, Emirates transfer chief Edu is preparing for next season, as he looks to maintain Arsenal's place among England's most elites sides.

A midfielder is high on the agenda, with West Ham star Declan Rice thought to be a major target. Further forward, there have also been recent links to both Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) and Brazil international Vitor Roque.

Now, commenting on Arsenal's search for a star midfield man, CBS reporter Jacobs has claimed that Brighton star Caicedo could still end up in north London this summer despite their serious interest in Rice.

He also suggests that the Ecuador international could be perfect for Arteta, calling him a 'great fit'.

He explained to CaughtOffside:

"The last thing Brighton will want is to lose Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister if they have Europa League football.

“There is huge interest in both players. Mac Allister wants to move early. He is high up on Liverpool’s list and Manchester United appreciate him, too. Caicedo could still end up at Arsenal, even though West Ham’s Declan Rice remains the top defensive-midfield target.

“Caicedo would be a great fit at Arsenal, but striking a deal with Brighton won’t be easy – and may be even harder, or at least drawn out, if Mac Allister goes first."

Should Arsenal move for Caicedo?

Depending on the asking price for Rice, which some outlets suggest could be as high as £100 million, we believe Caiedo would be a fantastic alternative.

As per WhoScored, the £80 million star has dazzled under Roberto De Zerbi on the south coast – ranking as their fourth-best performer overall and a rock-solid presence in front of Brighton's back four.

No Seagulls star has averaged more tackles or interceptions per 90 than Caicedo, who also betters Arsenal star Thomas Partey in both respects (WhoScored).

Aston Villa completing a deal for Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams this summer "would make a lot of sense", according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

What's the latest on Williams to Aston Villa?

The Spanish international is an academy graduate at the San Mames Stadium having worked his way up through the youth ranks to get promoted to Ernesto Valverde's first-team back in 2021, making 79 senior appearances since that time, but there's a chance that he could be on the move during the upcoming window.

The La Liga winger's contract is set to expire at the end of next season meaning that the summer window is likely to be Athletic's final big opportunity to cash in for a sizable fee, and should that be the case, he won't be short a potential suitor having emerged as his club's overall best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.91.

The Daily Mail report that the Midlands outfit and Unai Emery are ready to reignite their interest in the 20-year-old, who has a £50m release clause, after he rejected a move to join in January, but that doesn't sound like it's stopped them from taking a second bite of the cherry in the weeks and months ahead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook backed Aston Villa to secure the services of Williams and suggested that he would excel under the guidance of Emery in the Premier League. He said:

"Yeah, players that Emery knows in the Spanish market could be good for him. Nico Williams is an exciting talent so I think that would make a lot of sense. I think Villa are going to have grand ambitions this summer. I think they could be one of the busier clubs."

Should Aston Villa cash out on Williams?

Aston Villa are clearly huge admirers of Williams if they are ready to make a second attempt for him, and having been hailed "incredible" by his brother Inaki Williams, NSWE should definitely meet his release clause considering the positive impact he would make.

The World Cup participant has clocked up 15 goal contributions (nine goals and six assists) in 37 appearances across all competitions so far this season which has seen him receive three man-of-the-match awards, but even when he's not always on the scoresheet, he's constantly looking to produce chances for his fellow squad members.

As per FBRef, Williams has recorded 150 crosses since the start of the term which is higher than any of his Athletic Bilbao teammates, alongside 91 shot-creating actions ranking him second among his peers, and with his versatility to operate on both the left and right flanks as well as in midfield, the board need to empty their pockets to beat their rivals to his signature this summer.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is set to urge his side to make an official move for Premier League midfielder Declan Rice at the end of this season.

What's the latest on Rice to Arsenal?

The 24-year-old is on the agenda of Arsenal heading into this summer transfer window as sporting director Edu and the board identify targets for next season.

Indeed, Rice has been a key player for West Ham and David Moyes again this season, but reports suggest he could be on the way out and north London is a very realistic destination.

Arsenal apparently have a desire to sign the England international as they look to shore up their central midfield options, even despite the signing of former Chelsea star Jorginho in January.

As well as Rice, it is believed that Brighton midfield ace Moises Caicedo is also in Arsenal's thinking, yet the former is their apparent top target for the position.

The Irons mainstay has made no secret of his desire to play at the highest level and win trophies, saying this in an interview with Gary Neville (via talkSPORT):

"If you haven’t got that ambition as a footballer, why are you playing? They are the best moments of your life winning those trophies.

“I have thought about it before, what would those days be like lifting that trophy? The day of it, the night out after. I definitely want to have those experiences of winning trophies and being the best I can be.”

In terms of his possible move to Arsenal, a report by The Daily Mirror has shared an update on the matter, with Arteta personally set to demand his side make an official move for Rice as soon as the season ends.

It is claimed that the Spaniard believes he can tempt Rice into joining, and is even growing increasingly confident they can secure his signature despite a faltering title bid.

Arteta apparently wants talks with the Hammers star who is keen to stay in London and interested in a move to the Emirates.

What could Rice bring to Arsenal?

Moyes' pivotal player has again played a crucial role for West Ham – standing out as their best-performing player by average match rating with no other teammate featuring over more league minutes (WhoScored).

Called 'utterly sensational' by members of the media, he could be exactly the kind of tenacius, robust midfield man to add real steel to Arteta's midfield.

He's also averaged more interceptions per 90 and a higher pass accuracy than any other West Ham player (WhoScored) – leaving little mystery as to why Arteta really wants him at Arsenal.

Celtic defender Anthony Ralston needs to capitalise on the “opportunity” of Alistair Johnston being injured to show Ange Postecoglou what he’s capable of, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

What's the latest injury news on Johnston?

Johnston was forced off the pitch during the 1-0 Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Rangers last weekend following a coming together with Borna Barisic, and the initial prognosis didn’t look good after he was spotted with crutches and in a boot after the full-time whistle.

Daily Record Sport have since revealed that the Hoops right-back is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks depending on how he reacts to treatment and is aiming to return to action for the Scottish Cup final vs Inverness on June 3.

Ralston is an academy graduate at Parkhead but has never really been first-choice in his position having carried out three loan spells at Queens Park, Dundee United and St. Johnstone over the years to receive more game time, having been limited to ten starts this season in the Scottish Premiership.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton urged Ralston to make the most of his chance to play under Postecoglou in a bid to establish himself as a regular feature at Celtic in the absence of Johnston. He said:

“I think it is a good window for Ralston to go and remind the manager. I am sure he is the type of guy who works hard day in day out to try and get back in the squad. But you want to go and show the manager that you are capable of handling it and this is a great opportunity to go and do that. There are some big games coming up, there is another Old Firm, the final, these are all games he will want to be involved in. So the ball is in his court, go and show the manager that you are capable of doing that."

“Since Johnston came in he has been brilliant and is really going from strength to strength. It will be hard to get him out [of] the team but here is Ralston’s opportunity and he needs to go and grasp it.“

Should Ralston be given more of a chance at Celtic?

Ralston currently ranks as the club's third best-performing defensive player which highlights the positive impact he makes when handed the opportunity to play, and having been lauded “excellent” by journalist Josh Bunting, Postecoglou should certainly put more faith in him.

The Bhoys’ £8.5k-per-week ace is currently averaging 2.6 aerial wins, 1.9 clearances and 1.5 tackles per league game, via WhoScored, so is strong in the natural defensive aspect of his game, but he’s also a threat when bursting down the flank and adding to efforts in the final third of the pitch.

The Bellshill native has clocked up 21 goal contributions (14 assists and seven goals) in 80 senior appearances under the manager and knows what it takes to compete and be successful having secured seven trophies during his career at the club, so Ange needs to keep a close eye on his level of performances over the next few weeks when considering his starting squad for the new season.

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been picked for the Test series in England, his first appearance in a Test squad since his return to international cricket after a five-year suspension for spot-fixing in September last year

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-20161:02

Quick Facts – Amir set to play a Test after over five years

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been picked for the Test series in England, his first appearance in a Test squad since his return to international cricket after a five-year suspension for spot-fixing in September last year. He had made a comeback to Pakistan’s limited-overs’ squads earlier this year.Changes in the squad

In: Sami Aslam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Amir
Out: Ahmed Shehzad, Bilal Asif, Fawad Alam, Junaid Khan, Shoaib Malik

With the team set to depart on June 18, the PCB is hopeful that Amir will be granted a visa by next week. His application was also supported by the ECB. There were concerns over Amir being granted a UK visa, after the bowler – along with Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt – was sentenced in a London court for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal in the controversial Lord’s Test against England, and was given a six-month jail sentence, half of which he served at the Portland Young Offenders Institution in Dorset.Legspinner Yasir Shah was picked for his first international series after the end of his doping ban in March. The bowler had missed Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand, the Asia Cup T20 and the World T20 after he was given a three-month suspension by the ICC.Yasir was provisionally suspended under the ICC’s Anti-Doping Code in December after he tested positive for a banned substance, chlortalidone, and a three-month suspension was given after he pleaded guilty to breaching the code. The penalty, which was backdated to December, ended on March 27. The legspinner, however, did suffer an injury scare last month, when he missed the fitness camp in Abbottabad after aggravating an old knee injury. Zulfiqar Babar was the other spinner named in the squad.Mohammad Hafeez was picked despite suffering a knee injury which had ruled him out of the conditioning camp in Abbottabad. Hafeez, too, had aggravated an old injury, which he suffered during the World T20 in March. With more than a month to go for the first Test, the selectors were hopeful Hafeez would be fit for the series.After a long time, the PCB named a back-up wicketkeeper – Mohammad Rizwan – who is yet to make his Test debut. He has played 15 ODIs and nine T20Is since his international debut against Bangladesh last year. Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said Rizwan was picked to take some workload off Sarfraz Ahmed since it was a long tour.”Rizwan has been playing in T20s and he has been doing well in ODIs,” Inzamam said. “We are sending two keepers because there are four Tests and it will be a good opportunity for Rizwan too.”Inzamam named a back-up opening batsman in 20-year-old Sami Aslam, who made his Test debut against Bangladesh in April last year. Aslam, a former Pakistan Under-19 captain, played both Tests of the series, scoring 47 runs. Ahmed Shehzad, who was left out of the probables list for the England tour on disciplinary grounds, was not picked.Four other fast bowlers, apart from Amir, were named in the squad of 17 – Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan and Imran Khan. Sohail, who last played a Test in September 2011, was part of Pakistan’s squad for the 2015 World Cup, where he played seven matches and was the second-highest wicket-taker for the side with 12 wickets. His tally included a five-for in his comeback ODI, against India at the Adelaide Oval. Inzamam said the selectors were keeping an eye on Junaid Khan’s progress too, but he needed more time to recover before being picked for an international tour.”Junaid had a knee injury and struggled a bit after that,” Inzamam said. “It will take him some time now to get back into rhythm and then we will consider him again. We have picked Sohail instead because his performance has been very good. I saw him bowl during the camp and he is in really good rhythm. he will do well on the England tour.”The last time Pakistan toured England for a Test series was in 2010 and their last Test series outside the subcontinent against one of the top eight sides was to South Africa in early 2013. Pakistan lost all three Tests on that tour and Inzamam admitted touring outside Asia was something that bothered him.”My only concern is that we have hardly played outside [the subcontinent] in the last six-seven years,” Inzamam said. “Otherwise the Pakistani team is known to play aggressive cricket across the world. I think that is the strength of this team – aggression.”Pakistan will undergo a conditioning camp in Hampshire and will play two tour matches – against Somerset and Sussex – before the first Test at Lord’s, which starts from July 14. They will play another tour match, against Worcestershire, between the second and third Tests at Old Trafford and Edgbaston, respectively. The fourth Test will be played at The Oval from August 11.Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sohail Khan

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has urged international players to keep an “open mind” about playing day-night Test cricket with the pink ball

Gaurav Kalra21-Jun-20169:41

Dravid: Need to give pink ball the best chance to succeed

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has urged international players to keep an “open mind” about playing day-night Test cricket with the pink ball. Speaking exclusively to ESPNcricinfo, Dravid said that it was imperative that everything be done to ensure Test cricket does not “wither away and die”, and if playing with a pink ball under lights attracts bigger crowds into stadiums, slightly more challenging playing conditions should not stand in the way.Although Australia and South Africa will play a day-night Test in Adelaide in November, and West Indies have agreed in principle to play one against Pakistan in UAE later this year, the concept has not been enthusiastically welcomed by international players across the board.”I think it’s natural to be wary when you first start, it’s stepping into the unknown a little bit,” Dravid said. “But as more and more matches are played, like we saw with the success of the Test in Adelaide, I think players will warm to the idea. The conversations that I am hearing around the players’ group is yes, there is a bit of skepticism, there are people who are a bit worried and are not completely sold on it, but as more games are played and people see that the ball holds up pretty well, the nature of the game isn’t changing too drastically from a normal match, we play on seaming tracks or square turners, different wickets in Test cricket.”You could start the morning of a Test match on a seaming wicket and it improves as the game goes on. Here it might start flat and it might seam as the game goes on. There are going to be things that are slightly different but there are things that are different in every Test match in each and every country that you play in that are unique to that country and surface as well. So, I don’t think that’s something that should count as a negative.”One of the major concerns about day-night Test cricket that has come to the fore is the measures required to protect the pink ball. In the inaugural Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide last year, additional grass was left on the pitch as well as the adjoining surfaces to ensure the ball retained its shine and visibility. The match ended in three days, making many observers argue that day-night Tests could be overly skewed in favour of the seam bowlers. Dravid advocated a more considered approach, arguing that these early experiments will lead to valuable lessons and the concept will evolve over time.”As we play more and more of it, we won’t need to ‘manufacture’ those conditions as much as we need to now because technology is going to get better, the condition of the ball too,” he said. “We will learn more about this. But haven’t we always in the Test scheme of things, I won’t say ‘manufacturing’ things, but we have gone from an era of uncovered wickets to covered wickets, to in the early days when cricket was played on a paddock. We have evolved and changed. You could say that even changing from uncovered wickets to covered wickets was manufacturing cricket in some ways and is that really Test cricket? We’ve had these debates through the history of the game, and we’ve always had them when there are new changes, so I see it no different from anything like that.”Although it isn’t confirmed if a day-night Test will be played in India’s upcoming home season – which has 13 Tests scheduled – a few steps have already been taken to experiment with the concept. The Cricket Association of Bengal has organised the first pink-ball match in India at Eden Gardens and the Duleep Trophy, too, will be played under lights later in the year. Dravid, who played a pink-ball match himself for MCC against Nottinghamshire in the UAE in 2011, said that it was important to ensure the experiments are done correctly to ensure the players don’t “switch off” from the concept.”I would love to see a day-night Test match in India because very clearly there are grounds in this country where people don’t come and watch,” he said. “I think each country and each situation could be unique, we can’t just say that because a Test match succeeded in Adelaide, it might not succeed in the winter in India because of the dew. I am glad we had this match in Kolkata and the Duleep Trophy will be played under lights. One of the things we can’t afford is we do the experiment without the right conditions and the players switch off from it. I think if it goes wrong initially you will find the players could switch off from it. We need to give it the best chance to succeed.”

Liverpool are "very far in" with negotiations to bring Jorg Schmadtke to the club as sporting director, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Do Liverpool need a sporting director?

The job of sporting director has been an influential one at Anfield during Jurgen Klopp's time in charge of the Reds, with Michael Edwards bordering on a genius who worked wonders in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Julian Ward has continued to do an impressive job as his predecessor, but he is leaving his role at the end of the season.

Liverpool are working hard on finding a replacement and Schmadtke has emerged as a front-runner in recent weeks, with the 59-year-old previously at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests that he will indeed be Ward's imminenty replacement on Merseyside.

Will Schmadtke move to Anfield?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk claimed that talks are now at an advanced stage, with Klopp seemingly seeing his compatriot as the best possible appointment:

"The negotiations are very far in for Jorg Schmadtke, I heard. He thought about retiring after leaving Wolfsburg in January. He said his wife is now making the decision and if in the next three months she can’t stand him anymore he has to go out and work again.

"So, I think it’s not easy for him to be coming back into a full-time job in July, especially not in Germany. I heard the talks started with the idea of an external consultant position working just for transfers. This idea included just a few months, especially the summer transfer window. Now the talks are looking at something more, which is why they are taking longer than expected.

"At a minimum, it will be a consultant role. If Liverpool wants and gets more from Schmadtke – that remains to be seen."

There is no absolute confirmation that Liverpool want Schmadtke as sporting director, rather than a different position, but he could be an astute appointment in that job, given his vast experience down the years.

While some negative reports have emerged regarding his personality and ability to fall out with managers, Klopp is to be trusted with decisions such as these. If he wants to bring him in, there is a good reason for it, having helped Hannover 96 finish fourth in the Bundesliga in 2010/11, and reaching the Europa League quarter-finals the following season.

It is absolutely vital that Liverpool get this appointment right, though, ahead of one of the most important summer transfer windows in recent memory, with numerous new signings required to get the Reds back towards the top of English football.

Arsenal have enjoyed a remarkable season despite the pain of their recent collapse, which should be remembered for the surprise of their maintained title charge rather than the failures post-March.

Much of this excellence was upheld through their summer transfer window, in which they bolstered the necessary positions with immense quality to bridge that gap between themselves and Manchester City. Although they still remain out of their reach, the hope will be that this coming window can once again take them a step closer to Premier League glory.

Having tempted Oleksandr Zinechenko and Gabriel Jesus from the Etihad to the Emirates, perhaps manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar could seek to make it a hat trick, prying on the uncertainty surrounding Joao Cancelo's future to bring him to north London as well.

After all, it was noted just last week that the Gunners were one of many European powerhouses interested in a surprise swoop for the Portugal international, who has fallen out of favour with Pep Guardiola this year.

Having spent half of this season at Bayern Munich, the €70m (£61m) clause to purchase him remains a stumbling block for the Bavarian giants. However, with Arsenal on track to record a second-place finish, their finances are set for a lofty boost with Champions League football returning to the Emirates.

This could provide the necessary funds to acquire this versatile defender alongside Declan Rice, who remains their top target.

How has Joao Cancelo played this season?

Having shot to fame across England for being one of the first to truly perfect the inverted full-back role that is creeping into normalcy, the 28-year-old has managed 11 assists across all competitions for both City and Bayern.

Such form has seen the words of writer David Cartlidge come to fruition, as he once branded the speedster as "electric". Now, almost every time the former Valencia star takes to the field, the journalist is proven right.

Last season was the apex of such success, as he maintained a 7.33 average rating in the Premier League, supported by 1.1 key passes, 2.3 tackles and 2.3 shots per game, via Sofascore.

The attacking impetus he boasts would bolster any team, and he could offer a perfect foil on either flank for the Gunners.

Given the struggles without William Saliba, Cancelo's presence could allow Ben White to shift into central defender. Should Zinchenko ever get injured, again the defender could ease their worries their too. In one fell swoop, their whole backline could immediately receive a timely boost.

Snagging a top unwanted talent from Guardiola would see Edu repeat that aforementioned masterclass with Jesus' £45m deal, who has quickly established himself as the focal point of Arteta's side.

As someone well-versed in his philosophy, the Brazilian quickly integrated as a creative and clinical asset who could also lead the press – ten goals and six assists in an injury-hit 24-game season is indicative of a strong debut campaign, which can only improve next season too.

This could add that touch of quality and depth needed to finally put them on a level playing field with City, ready to go to war again for the 2023/24 campaign with an army of Guardiola rejects vying to prove their former mentor wrong.

Aaqib Javed talked up the abilities of Abul Hasan, Abu Hider, who have played international cricket, and identified Abu Jayed Chowdhury and rookie Ebadot Hossain as future Bangladesh prospects

Mohammad Isam04-Aug-2016Former Pakistan quick Aaqib Javed has earmarked four Bangladesh fast bowlers for higher honours at the end of his week-long stint as the High Performance fast bowling consultant. He talked up the abilities of Abul Hasan, Abu Hider, who have played international cricket, and identified Abu Jayed Chowdhury and rookie Ebadot Hossain as future Bangladesh prospects.Javed worked with the HP pacers for four days before spending two days with the Bangladesh national team bowlers. Among those who caught his eye, Hasan has played three Tests and six ODIs while Hider has played five T20s for Bangladesh. Jayed, meanwhile, has taken 120 first-class wickets at an average of 29.36.Javed said that Ebadot, who works for the Air Force, could be developed into a Bangladesh fast bowler. Ebadot, who was brought into the HP squad after impressing in the BCB’s pace bowlers’ hunt earlier this year, has not played first-class or List A cricket until now.”I think [Abul Hasan] Raju has the potential but he had injuries and has problems with confidence,” Javed said. “He has got pace, good body and action. But he has to come out of that phase. Ebadot is bowling 138-140 kph with his physique. Coaches told me he will go back and join the Air Force and stop practicing. I think somebody should give him a contract or a job that is related to cricket. He reminded me of Mohammad Irfan. We worked on him for six months and made him ready for first-class cricket. If he can build a decent body, he can be a future Bangladesh fast bowler.”Javed also said that he took the perspective of Mashrafe Mortaza, the Bangladesh captain, who attended the training sessions. “It really helped that Mashrafe was there, because I was asking him questions,” Javed said. “‘If a bowler is not landing the ball in the required line and length, would you select him’? He said ‘no’. I asked, ‘what is your demand’? He said the demand is he [the bowler] should hit the right areas with control and accuracy.”Javed said that the bowlers were told to identify their strengths and drawbacks to understand their roles in the side.”We discussed about discovering yourself,” he said. “There are different traits that bowlers have – Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait had pace. Joel Garner and Mohammad Irfan have bounce. Survival with swing and some pace – Shaun Pollock, Chaminda Vaas, Mohammad Asif. Then people who have to create illusions with difficult actions – [Lasith] Malinga, Mustafizur [Rahman], Sohail Tanvir.”If you know which category you belong to, then your life will be easier. You’ll have a better understanding of your role in the team. You will focus on different things. I have seen people bowling 130 with the mindset of Brett Lee. Getting smashed. We discussed awareness, and once you do that, you will have understanding of the challenges in front of you.”Javed added that a long stint is not needed to pass on tips to young fast bowlers, while stressing on the improvement of senior bowlers.”I don’t believe in a long process,” he said. “I think six days is a long time to transfer knowledge. After today’s session, I said: ‘I don’t have anything else to share with you’.”When you talk to experienced players, you will have limitations. You can’t tell them something that they already know. You have to bring something, which improves them. I think I had wonderful time with the national team and the younger bowlers.”