Category Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is in the market for a midfielder if Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg departs, and Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher is wanted for that role.

Who will Spurs sign?

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and striker Alejo Veliz have all officially joined Spurs this summer, but there could be plenty more to come.

These deals follow on from permanent moves for Pedro Porro, who signed from Sporting Lisbon after his original loan stint, and Dejan Kulusevski folllowing an 18-month loan spell from Juventus.

Spurs are also actively trying to sign another centre-back, as confirmed by Postecoglou himself recently, who said he wants defenders who can play in an aggressive formation.

“It's not done yet," said Postecoglou at the weekend.

"We need bolstering in that central defensive area. We need defenders who can work in an aggressive formation, defend well & behind them. We'll be looking to bring in a couple in that area in the coming days."

Following on from that comment, the Spurs head coach updated his stance after Tottenham's entertaining pre-season encounter with Barca last night – saying it could largely depend on outgoings.

"We've to see what happens with outgoings," explained Postecoglou.

"But, the potential is there to bring in one more centre back after van de Ven."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

It appears exits could well be crucial in determining Tottenham's future transfer activity, with the potential signing of a new midfielder being no exception.

That is according to The Telegraph and journalist Mike McGrath, who claim Postecoglou is personally in the market for a new central midfield ace should Hojbjerg depart.

The Dane has been heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid this window and some outlets suggest that it is going to happen sooner rather than later.

Gallagher, who could well leave Chelsea before deadline day, has been mentioned as a target and The Telegraph claim he is "wanted" to potentially succeed Hojbjerg.

Nothing else is said beyond that line in terms of more detail, but it appears Gallagher to Spurs is still very much on.

How good is Conor Gallagher?

The Englishman's best top flight campaign to date came during a 2021/2022 loan spell at Crystal Palace, where he finished the season as Patrick Vieira's best-performer by average match rating (WhoScored).

Gallagher also racked up eight goals and three assists that year, showcasing he has what it takes to become a successful player at Tottenham.

Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, commenting on the player's development last year, shared how impressed he was with Gallagher's development.

“His development is extraordinary and outstanding," said Tuchel in 2022.

“He is one of the key players at Crystal Palace and he has made a huge step in his development up front.

“He was a pleasure to coach in pre-season – he has so much positive energy, so much energy in general and so much work-rate to give that he can of course be a big help and a big influence.”

However, if a deal is to be done, Chelsea may need to lower their reported £50 million valuation.

West Ham United have placed Paris Saint-Germain forward Hugo Ekitike on a “shortlist” of attacking targets, but they aren’t the only club pursuing him in the Premier League, according to fresh reports.

Is Hugo Ekitike leaving PSG?

France’s former youth international only made the permanent move to the Parc des Princes this summer following a successful loan spell from Stade Reims, as per Transfermarkt, and so far he’s made a total of 32 appearances, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move before the end of the ongoing window.

Despite still having another four years to run on his contract, Luis Enrique’s side are reportedly ready to cash in on the 21-year-old in order to generate funds to put towards new signings of their own, and should he depart, he won’t be short of a potential suitor in David Moyes.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

RMC Sport recently reported that the Irons and Nottingham Forest have both expressed their initial interest in the centre-forward, whilst Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Everton have since entered talks, but at this stage a deal hasn’t been agreed.

Are West Ham signing Hugo Ekitike?

Taking to Twitter X, French outlet Sport Zone revealed that West Ham have increased their interest in Ekitike following the departure of Gianluca Scamacca and have placed themselves in a strong stance when it comes to competing for his signature. They said:

"Everton drew a first verbal offer for Hugo Ekitike, €35M [£30m] and €5M [£4m] bonus. As revealed in May, Frankfurt are interested and Paris are trying to put him in the deal for Kolo Muani, but Frankfurt's dream is called Elye Wahi. West Ham positioned themselves. He is on the shortlist to replace Scamacca."

How many goals has Hugo Ekitike scored?

Since the start of his career, Ekitike has posted 35 goal contributions (24 goals and 11 assists) in 86 appearances, form which has previously seen him dubbed a “clinical” striker by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it would be a massive coup should a player of his calibre put pen to paper at the London Stadium.

The Reims native, who pockets £79k-per-week, last season recorded a total of 34 Ligue 1 shots over the course of the campaign which was the fourth-highest number throughout his squad, via FBRef, which is good going considering that he had to compete with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Standing at 6 foot 2, the centre-forward additionally ranked in the 96th percentile for pass completion by forwards which shows how strong he is at linking up the play with his fellow teammates in and around the opposition’s penalty area, making him a real physical presence and handful to deal with up top.

West Ham have reportedly reached agreements to sign both Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire for £30m each this summer, and if chiefs decide to table an offer for Ekitike, he could soon be following them through the doors in E20.

Arsenal continue to be handed a lifeline in the race for a true star who they have had their eye on multiple times in the past…

Is Moises Caicedo leaving Brighton and Hove Albion?

Although it might seem like Chelsea are now in the driving seat when it comes to signing Moises Caicedo, the Gunners have seemingly remained quietly interested in the background.

After all, although the report emerged earlier this week, it was noted by journalist Graeme Bailey that an outside chance remains.

Given they saw two bids rejected for him in January, their interest in the Ecuadorian general is common knowledge.

However, it is now the Blues who have felt the sting of Brighton and Hove Albion, who recently saw an £80m offer instantly pushed back, with their demands now rising to a mouth-watering £100m.

Whilst it seems unlikely that Mikel Arteta sanctions another deal of such magnitude, it has been noted that he is willing to offload plenty of deadwood to make way for additional signings, and the Seagulls sensation could be a just reason to do that.

How good is Moises Caicedo?

To lure such a relentless midfield maestro to the Emirates would represent a sensational coup for the north London outfit, who have already bolstered their ranks significantly this summer.

England stalwart Declan Rice has padded out the midfield at last, whilst Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz offer added solidity and firepower respectively.

It seems that – at last – they have a squad brimming with the sort of quality and depth that is capable of issuing a sustained challenge towards Manchester City.

This was supplemented by their January additions too, as Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard both joined the club as they sought to maintain their title charge.

Whilst unsuccessful in that venture, it cannot be said that the latter acquisition failed, given how instantly creative he proved to be under Arteta.

Signed for just £27m, the 28-year-old immediately forced his way into contention, recording eight goal contributions in his first 11 Premier League games, many of which were short cameo appearances from the bench. In the end, he would finish the term as the club's fifth-best performer with his 7.09 average rating in the league.

He deservedly garnered praise, with his new Spanish coach noting:

"Seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. We are really pleased with him, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, he can play as an attacking midfielder, as a nine, a false nine.

“He’s really contributing to the team and he really takes a lot of responsibility in games to make things happen and we love that.”

The hope will be that Caicedo would have a similarly revolutionary effect, with his figures last year – from the very same outfit in which Trossard arrived from – suggesting he would take little time to acclimatise; especially considering the wealth of improved quality he would be joining too.

Starring for a plucky outfit that defied all the expectations last season, he maintained a 7.08 average rating in the league, buoyed by his 89% pass accuracy, 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.

For comparison, his rating would have made him Arsenal's sixth-best performer in the league, whilst his key passes per game matched that of Gabriel Jesus. He would have also stood alone as the club's top tackler too, also per Sofascore

.

Understandably, such a fine campaign drew praise – local journalist Andy Naylor even wrote: "Caicedo? He’s a machine."

Such maturity and star quality for a 21-year-old gem are truly exceptional, and with his entire career laid out in front of him, he could hold down Arsenal's midfield with Rice for the next decade.

It seems that not only would such an unlikely late swoop emulate their Trossard masterclass, but it could surpass it given the young enforcer's impossibly high ceiling.

Tottenham Hotspur are "considering a move" for Flamengo star Pedro with star striker Harry Kane's future uncertain, according to journalist Miguel Delaney.

Who will Spurs sign?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has been left delighted with some of the business Spurs have conducted so far this summer, England international James Maddison in particular.

The former Leicester City playmaker has officially joined Postecoglou's side with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and winger Manor Solomon, with Tottenham's head coach expressing his excitement recently.

“Really excited to get James as part of the group," said the Australian.

"Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.

“I thought it was a really good fit for us to look for a player like James – even better if we could get James, so we ended up getting James."

However, Tottenham aren't though to be finished just yet, as links still surround the signing of a new first team centre-back. Indeed, Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven. Meanwhile, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Bremer have all been linked with moves.

Spurs, with Kane's contract expiring in just 12 months, are also now being tipped to potentially source a replacement if their superstar doesn't pen fresh terms with the north Londoners.

There have even been suggestions that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who will command a large transfer fee, is a player of serious interest to chairman Daniel Levy.

Now, according to Delaney of The Independent, Spurs could look across the Atlantic for options as news emerges on Flamengo's exciting star Pedro.

Tottenham are apparently "considering a move" for the 26-year-old, who was called up to Brazil's squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

While he struggled at Fiorentina four years ago, there is a feeling the big move came too early and he is now ready to ply his trade in Europe's top five leagues once again.

He is one of many options they're weighing right now, as Kane leaving is now seen as much more realistic given the uncertainty surrounding his contract.

How good is Pedro?

The Rio-born forward boasts a fine scoring record for Flamengo in the Brazilian top flight, having netted an impressive 93 goals and a further 23 assists in 141 Brasiliero Serie A appearances (Transfermarkt).

Pedro has also been praised by footballing icon Ronaldo, not just as a "quality striker", but also the "best player" in America right now.

"The top scorer and Craque of the Brasileirão will be Pedro," said Ronaldo.

"Also the best player in America in 2023. Pedro is a quality striker who makes the difference in Flamengo's attack, he has a huge future ahead of him, with a future also in the national team".

Arsenal have contacted Manchester City to make an offer of €16m (£14m) for Kyle Walker, while they are also interested in his teammate, Julian Alvarez, according to a recent report.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

With it recently emerging that Mikel Arteta plans to play Jurrien Timber at right-back next season, you perhaps wouldn't them to be in the market for another player in that area of the pitch, but there have been reports they are still interested in Ivan Fresneda.

The Gunners are said to have made contact with Real Valladolid over a deal for Fresneda, a player Arteta has always liked, and he will now be available for a cut-price fee, with his release clause dropping to just €20m (£17m) after his side's relegation from La Liga.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has also claimed that Joao Cancelo is a potential target for Arsenal, recently telling GiveMeSport:

"We know that Arsenal would love to explore Joao Cancelo if that's possible, and it will be very intriguing to see if Manchester City are open to a deal because a year ago Man City were happy to do business with Arsenal because they didn't really see them as a title challenger.

Arteta is seemingly looking to raid his former club for a whole host of new players, with a report from Nacional (via Football365) detailing that contact has been made with Man City over a proposed €16m (£14m) deal for Walker.

Not only that, the Gunners are also keen on signing Alvarez, although that may be a very difficult transfer to orchestrate, as Pep Guardiola is delighted to have the Argentine, and does not want to let him leave.

On the other hand, Walker's contract situation means that a deal for the England international would be an "easier case to solve", with just one year remaining on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium.

Is Kyle Walker leaving Manchester City?

On Saturday, it was reported that the Englishman is still undecided on his future, despite being offered a new contract, with Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel pushing hard to secure his signature this summer.

The news that Arsenal have allegedly made a move for the right-back is certainly eyebrow-raising, given that he previously played for Tottenham Hotspur, making 229 appearances for the Gunners' rivals before making the move up north to join City.

There is no denying the defender's ability, however, having been lauded as "absolutely incredible" by members of the media in light of his performance for England in the World Cup quarter-final against France, "eliminating the threat" of Kylian Mbappe.

The 33-year-old is now very accustomed to competing for major silverware, having won five Premier League titles, and he once again played a key role last season, making 27 appearances in the top flight.

That said, if Arteta wants to build a long-term project at the Emirates Stadium, the manager should look to target younger players, and it would be unwise to sanction a move for Walker, despite his talent.

It looks as if Mason Mount may not be the only midfield addition at Manchester United this summer, with the Red Devils reportedly eyeing a move for Southampton sensation, Romeo Lavia.

What's the latest on Lavia to Man United?

According to 90min, the Old Trafford outfit are still seemingly keen on strengthening in the centre of the park despite the recent £60m capture of Mount, with young Lavia said to be among the options being considered by Erik ten Hag.

While the report suggests that the signing of a new striker and goalkeeper remains the 'priority' for the former Ajax boss ahead of next season, a move for a player like the Belgian teenager – who has been valued at around £50m – could also be considered.

This comes amid a similar piece from Manchester Evening News which also revealed that Ten Hag is contemplating whether to make a second midfield signing, with the 19-year-old maestro believed to be being 'monitored' at present.

Who is Romeo Lavia?

The former Manchester City youth star – who made the move to St Mary's on a £14m deal last summer – was arguably one of the breakout stars of the 2022/23 campaign despite his side's eventual relegation, having been tipped to be a "top player" in the future by international colleague, Kevin De Bruyne.

Also regarded as a potential "leader" for his country and for a top Premier League club in the years to come – in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig – Lavia has already made a strong impression during his embryonic senior career, having also earned notable praise from United legend Paul Scholes last season:

"He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in-front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there."

As has previously been suggested, Ten Hag is believed to view the youngster as a potential successor to experienced Brazilian, Casemiro, in that defensive midfield role at the Theatre of Dreams, with further midfield depth also needed amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Fred and Scott McTominay.

To be able to bring in such a highly-regarded wonderkid could have the adverse effect of harming one of United's own teenage gems, however, in the form of Kobbie Mainoo, with the 18-year-old Englishman potentially set to see his chances of game time hampered as a result of Lavia's possible arrival.

The "exceptional" talent – as described by MEN journalist Steven Railston – enjoyed a handful of outings in Ten Hag's senior set-up last term, with the expectation being that he will earn a permanent promotion to the first-team ranks moving forward.

A midfielder by trade – who operated in a deeper role in front of the back four during the club's glorious FA Youth Cup run in the 2021/22 season – Mainoo may then find that pathway blocked by the addition of Lavia, with it likely that the United boss would be more prone to handing minutes to a £50m, marquee signing, rather than a promising academy talent.

Of course, there may be hope for the Stockport native to ply his trade in a more advanced midfield berth, although the increased competition that would be provided by the Southampton star's arrival could prove to be bad news for his development.

أعلن بيب جوارديولا المدير الفني لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي مانشستر سيتي، عن تشكيل اللاعبين لمواجهة نيوكاسل، في بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي

مانشستر سيتي يستضيف نيوكاسل، في ربع نهائي بطول كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، على ملعب الاتحاد، بقيادة الحكم سيمون هوبر.

طالع أيضًا | جوارديولا: سنحاول مجددًا أمام ريال مدريد.. وعلينا اكتشاف طريقة للسيطرة على لاعبه

تشكيل مانشستر سيتي شهد تواجد الدولي النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند في الهجوم، مع مشاركة جوسكو جفارديول أساسيًا، واستبعاد كيفين دي بروين من القائمة. تشكيل مانشستر سيتي اليوم أمام نيوكاسل في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي

حراسة المرمى: ستيفان أورتيجا.

خط الدفاع: كايل وواكر، مانويل أكانجي، روبن دياز، جوسكو جفارديول.

وسط الملعب: رودريجو، كوفاسيتش.

وسط الملعب الهجومي: برناردو سيلفا، فيل فودين، جيرمي دوكو.

الهجوم: إيرلينج هالاند.

الاحتياط: جوليان ألفاريز، سكوت كارسون، ناثان آكي، جون ستونز، ريكو لويس، ماتيوس نونيز، سيرجيو جوميز، جاك جريليش، أوسكار بوب.

Hearts will be expected to improve on their mediocre season last term, failing to reach the semi-finals of either of the two domestic cups while finishing in fourth place after a poor end to the campaign, winning just two of their final seven matches.

Steven Naismith was in charge for these games, initially on an interim basis, however, he is now in permanent charge of the Tynecastle side as the 2023/24 season fast approaches.

The priority for him now will be to retain players of quality such as Lawrence Shankland and Josh Ginnelly, who contributed a staggering 52 goal contributions between them last term, while also getting defender Craig Halkett back fighting fit following a serious injury.

Adding a few faces will also be expected, and with loan star James Hill impressing during his stay in the capital last term, could he be open to a permanent stay?

The AFC Bournemouth defender may have potentially given the supporters a glimmer of hope after his recent comments, saying: “It would definitely be in consideration because everyone at Hearts has been amazing.

“They’ve made me feel at home. I’m not out of place here. I feel like a massive part of this squad. When you have that belief, the sky is the limit.

“The group at Hearts is incredible and the standard of this league is a surprise when other players step in because there is such quality.”

Could Hearts sign James Hill this summer?

With these comments, nothing can be ruled out, although with the defender having a contract at the Cherries until 2026, Naismith will have to splash the cash to lure the £14k-per-week man to Edinburgh this summer.

It’s safe to say that he was impressive upon joining the club in January, and as such, he could well be a dream signing for the new boss as he looks to reinvigorate the player squad.

Indeed, the centre-back featured 17 times across all competitions and averaged a respectable Sofascore rating of 6.8, enough to rank him in ninth position out of the whole squad.

He also ranked third for tackles per game (1.8) and first for interceptions per game (1.5), in the squad, showcasing his undisputed quality as he took no time at all to settle in at the club. It's players such as Hill that could be vital as the Jambos look to improve under Naismith, and considering he already knows the club well, it shouldn't take him long to accommodate to things once more.

The 21-year-old has only made four appearances for Bournemouth since joining them in January 2022 from Fleetwood Town, however, journalist Gregg Evans praised the club and claimed Hill was “another success story” as he made the leap up from League One to the Championship.

With an England U21 cap in his possession, the future is clearly bright for the 6-foot youngster, however, will it lie at Hearts? It should well do.

Leeds United have a lot of work to do this summer with still no manager or sporting director confirmed and a takeover in the works, however, it hasn't stopped the club from being linked to potential transfer targets.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Harry Winks?

According to Italian news outlet Samp News 24, Leeds are reigniting their interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, with the Englishman having spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Sampdoria.

As per the report, the Whites are keen to make a move for the talented whiz after a good temporary spell in Serie A, but will need to compete with the Italian outfit who are interested in making Winks a permanent signing this summer.

Who would Harry Winks replace in the Leeds team?

As expected, Leeds' recent relegation from the Premier League has prompted a surge in interest surrounding the futures of many of their first-team regulars, with Tyler Adams one of the players on the radar of top-flight clubs.

It has been reported this week that Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are both interested in snatching the American midfielder away from the West Yorkshire outfit and whilst the club will want to keep the squad together where possible, it won't be easy to stop some of their high profile players from making a swift exit from what has become a sunken ship at Elland Road.

As a result, an ambitious move for Winks – who has had a reported £22m clause included in his loan deal – would provide the club with a quality midfielder who could be the perfect replacement for Adams this summer.

Whilst Winks struggled for game time and consistency in north London – having made just nine league starts for Spurs last term – the 27-year-old has had the opportunity to come to life whilst on loan with Sampdoria this season and has thrived with more minutes.

Over 20 Serie A appearances, the Englishman – hailed as "unbelievable" by Jan Vertonghen – has tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and successfully completed 78% of his dribble attempts, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 3.4 duels won per game, demonstrating his sound defensive attributes and ball-winning capabilities in the centre of the pitch.

The ten-cap England international has earned high praise over his career so far, with former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino claiming:

"For me, he is the perfect midfielder, who can play box-to-box and like a holding midfielder. He has the quality and the capacity to play and use the demand of the game and read it. He's so clever."

Not only that, Winks and his Leeds positional peer Adams have displayed many similarities in their outputs this season including shot-creating actions per 90 (1.89 v 1.79), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.05 v 0.04), progressive carries (19 v 19) and progressive passes (117 v 136).

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Leeds to sign Winks this summer as his experience and quality could be a huge asset to the Whites next season in the Championship, especially if they lose Adams over the coming weeks and months.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has called for an aggressive approach from the team on the eve of the first ODI against Afghanistan.”We want to play all-out aggressive cricket,” Mashrafe said. “We want to begin like we had finished last year. We sometimes have to play defensively, but we want to play our best cricket.”Mashrafe, however, was wary of Afghanistan, who had defeated BCB XI by 66 runs in the warm-up match on Friday.”Why shouldn’t we think of this as a tough series? We should keep that in mind when taking the field on Sunday,” he said. “We will do well if we can carry the confidence that we built through training in the last two-and-a-half months.”

We can give Bangladesh a run for their money – Rajput

Afghanistan coach Lalchand Rajput has said that his team can give Bangladesh a hard time, and is banking on the bowling attack to deliver.
“We get the confidence from the win in the practice match, and definitely, we will take the momentum,” Rajput said. “Bangladesh is a Test playing country, who have done well at home. It is not going to be easy, but, definitely, we will give them a run for the money. We have a very well-balanced team. We have good medium-pacers and spinners, who will get assistance in Bangladesh.”
Rajput reserved special praise for right-arm seamer, Karim Janat, who is uncapped at international level. He revved up the pace against BCB XI and was rewarded with the wicket of Imrul Kayes.
“We have a young guy who just came from the U19s, Rajput said. “He really impressed us in the camp in India. We have experience and youth. It will be great if the boys can perform in such a platform.”

Coach Chandika Hathurusingha felt that the long gap between international matches – one day short of six months – was the major problem for his team. He also believed that the first hour of the first ODI would be vital in shaking off the rust.”The main focus is to win the three ODIs against another national team,” he said. “Not playing for a long time is a bit of an Achilles’ heel for us. That is what we are trying to get over, that uncertainty.”The first match is very vital for us. The first hour is vital for us. It is important that we start well, so the focus is all about winning the first game.”Hathurusingha was pleased with the skills of the side, but said that playing in front of a large crowd could be a challenge for the players.’We have no concern over any skill part – batting, bowling or fielding. It is all about the mental side of the game – getting into the game, playing in front of a crowd for your country,” he said. “We played so many practice matches with the top 25 players in the country. You cannot create that atmosphere. Probably, we play a higher level of cricket, but you cannot create that atmosphere of playing another international team.”Bangladesh will be without their best bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, who is undergoing rehabilitation after a shoulder surgery. He is set to miss the home series against England too, but is likely to recover for the New Zealand tour at the end of the year.In the absence of Mustafizur, Mashrafe hoped himself, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam would step up.”We had the same attack in the 50-over World Cup,” he said. We will miss the Fizz, but the ones who are in the team, they have a chance to prove themselves. I think this is our best possible bowling attack.”The Bangladesh squad includes uncapped batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who has been a prolific run-getter in domestic cricket. He staked claim for a place in the first ODI by top-scoring for BCB XI on Friday.”Mosaddek is in the team on merit,” Hathurusingha said. “He played very well in first-class and the Dhaka Premier League. We played four to five practice matches and we saw him, and yesterday, he obviously put his hand up. He is really putting pressure on the guys who are in the team, so that’s a healthy situation for me and the selectors.”