Liverpool have been extremely active in the transfer market this summer with both incomings and outgoings still on the cards and now a new update has emerged on a potential target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Levi Colwill?

According to 90min, Liverpool are ready to make a move for Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill.

As per the report, it is claimed that the Reds are confident they can tempt the talented defender with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, despite Chelsea insisting that Colwill is not for sale.

It is revealed that the England U21 star is unsure about his future in West London and despite efforts from his current club to extend his stay, there is nothing advanced at this stage.

How good is Levi Colwill?

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp loves to develop and nurture young talent, something he has proven many times over during his six-year stint at Liverpool so far.

One player who has seen the benefits of the German coach's strong presence and talent development is Joe Gomez, who despite being signed by Brendan Rodgers in the summer before Klopp's arrival has been one of his many success stories at Anfield.

Indeed, the English defender has found himself falling out of favour due to long-term injury issues in recent times, but there is no ignoring the impact and influence Gomez made on both the Champions League and Premier League success alongside Virgil van Dijk in the centre-back partnership.

Now Klopp could repeat his Gomez masterclass by bringing in another homegrown talent in Colwill – a left-footed dynamo who is already showing glimpses of his strong capabilities despite never kicking a ball in the top-flight for his parent club.

Colwill thrived at Huddersfield Town in the Championship and was part of the Terriers team that secured a spot in the play-off finals back in 2022 but more recently, the English titan was finally given his opportunity to play regular first-team football at Premier League level with Brighton and Hove Albion – who are reportedly preparing a £40m bid to permanently sign their loanee.

Over 17 top-flight appearances, the 20-year-old – who was once hailed as a "huge talent" by scout Jacek Kulig – registered two assists, successfully completed 100% of his dribbles and won 65% of his ground and aerial duels combined, as well as averaging 75.5 touches and a whopping 59.8 accurate passes per game, helping the Seagulls in achieving their dream of securing European football.

When comparing Colwill's output with that of Gomez and Joel Matip last season, the Cobham academy graduate had a better pass completion rate (88.2%), completed more successful take-ons (100%) and won more aerial duels (71.4%) than the Liverpool duo, proving that the defender would have no trouble competing for a spot in the first team and would likely push them further down the pecking order.

As a result, with Van Dijk and Matip now both well into their 30s, the signing of Colwill would present a great opportunity for Klopp to bring in another youthful defender alongside Ibrahima Konate to set up the future of the centre-back partnership at Anfield.

West Ham United look likely to win a big race to sign Alex Scott this summer, with Football Insider reporting that the Hammers are in the best position to snap up the midfielder this summer.

How good is Alex Scott?

The Bristol City midfielder has lit up the Championship for the Robins over the last two seasons, having initially broken onto the scene as a young 16-year-old. Having appeared three times for them during that initial second tier campaign, he has since gone on to appear in 83 league games for the side in total.

The 2022/23 season really saw the Englishman's star shine though, as he was handed the Young Player of the Year award for the division.

He played on 42 occasions for the Robins over the course of the year, the most he has managed over his career yet, and even bagged one goal and five assists along the way. He also reached the top ten in the division for through balls (10), had the most blocks of any player in the Championship with 67 and drew more fouls than any other second tier talent with 96. Despite his youth then, he is already standing out as one of the best in the league.

Are West Ham signing Alex Scott?

It's no surprise then to see him linked with a potential move away this summer. West Ham are one of the clubs to have been most heavily linked to Scott, with the Hammers having already spoken over a potential bid to bring in the 19-year-old this transfer window.

Wolves are another Premier League side that have been mulling over an offer for Scott, with the Molineux outfit also being admirers of the youngster.

Now though, according to a report from Football Insider, it's the Hammers who are in the best position to try and add the midfielder to their ranks this summer. It states that the top flight club are "well placed" to land the talent, but he would cost the Premier League side a hefty £25m as that is the Robins' asking price – and they will not budge.

However, if the player himself wants to move and Bristol City are "keen to progress" at that price, as are West Ham, then it will likely happen.

It could be worth it though. He's already caught the eye of those who have seen him in action, with the 19-year-old being hailed for both his current ability and his future potential. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that he has a "big future ahead," with the midfielder already demonstrating his ability to perform to the highest level.

The youth football writer also highlighted a comment from Man City boss Pep Guardiola who, after coming up against the England man in the FA Cup, added that he is an "unbelievable player". It's high praise from one of the best managers in the business – and if West Ham can seal a deal for him, they could therefore have one of the most promising English talents around right now.

تحدث جوزيه جوميز، المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك عن مباراة الاتحاد السكندري التي حقق فيها الأبيض الفوز بثلاثية دون رد.

وكان استاد القاهرة قد استضاف مباراة فريقي الزمالك والاتحاد السكندري ضمن مؤجلات الجولة الثامنة من عمر الدوري المصري “النيل”.

فيديو | الزمالك يفوز على الاتحاد السكندري بثلاثية في ليلة تألق زيزو

وقال جوميز في تصريحات للصحفيين عقب اللقاء نقلها مراسل “بطولات”: “المباراة كانت في اتجاه واحد، لم أر الأرقام ولكن أعتقد الشوط الأول ليس أقل من 80% الاستحواذ كان لنا”.

وأضاف: “تمتعنا بكثافة هجومية ولم نمنح المنافس فرصة للتهديف إلا في مناسبة واحدة”.

وأردف: “البعض قد يرى المباراة سهلة لكنها لم تكن كذلك على الاطلاق، كمدربين نريد أفضل شيء وقلت للاعبين انا سعيد جدًا بالعمل الذي قدمناه ونريد أفضل من ذلك، أحب التدوير كل يومين أو ثلاثة نخوض مباراة”.

واستكمل: “الاتحاد فريق قوي ومنظم، ورغم الثلاثة أهداف كان بإمكاننا تسجيل أكثر من ذلك”.

وواصل: “عبدالله السعيد لاعب ذكي جدًا ويستطيع اللعب في أكثر من مركز 6 أو 8 أو 10، لكني لم أجربه في مركز حراسة المرمى”.

واستطرد: “استبعاد محمود شيكابالا ومصطفى شلبي ليس قرارًا فنيًا ولكن بسبب الإصابة، الأول مصاب بنزلة برد والثاني تعرض لضربة في الضلوع”.

وأتم: “مباراة الأهلي قوية، ولكنها التحضير لها مثل أي مباراة، وعلينا الاستمتاع الآن بالفوز على الاتحاد ونبدأ التركيز في ديربي القاهرة”.

ويخوض الزمالك مباراة هامة أمام الغريم التقليدي الأهلي، مساء الاثنين المقبل، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري.

Just over a month before England begin the 2017 Women’s World Cup with a game against India, their prospects have been boosted by Sarah Taylor’s return after her break for an anxiety condition. Yet head coach Mark Robinson is also aware of the challenges her comeback will bring – for the team, as well as the player herself.”It’s important that the whole World Cup doesn’t become about Sarah Taylor for England, and we’re just all focused on her,” he said. “She’s one of the 15 – and they all need to feel like they’re getting the same support and same attention.”In the first game there’ll be a lot of eyes on Sarah, but after that it’ll calm down, it always does. Our job as staff is to make sure it’s not about one person, and it’s not distracting the other players, and they do feel supported.”Such concerns, though, could not dilute Robinson’s delight at Taylor’s return after more than a year away from international cricket, dating back to the World Twenty20 semi-final last March.”If her mental and physical health is okay, her cricket will definitely take care of itself because she’s an outstanding talent,” he said. “So she brings us the potential to influence games as an individual. She’s world-class.”Sarah’s a beautiful player. She can hit the ball in places where a lot can’t. It’s just about trying to help her keep the game simple, keep life simple, and then her talent will take care of itself. Sarah’s got no issues on that at all. It’s about getting her match fitness and match instincts right.”Taylor returned to the England squad during their training camp in the UAE, when she scored 26 in a warm-up match with Ireland, and then hit 61 on her Sussex return earlier this month. She could play six more matches, including England’s two official warm-ups, before the opening game at Derby. It will be her third World Cup, and eighth ICC global event in all.”What Sarah does bring you is an outstanding player who’s got experience on the biggest stage. The interesting thing speaking to her is she feels like everything’s a blank canvass and in the last period she’s not been the person she wanted to be anyway. So she’s almost starting again as a person, and starting again as a player.”England had managed Taylor’s condition carefully during her indefinite break to undergo Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She had her central contract renewed in December, and has worked closely with England’s coaching staff and medical team.”It was never really about us – it was about what Sarah’s ambitions and goals were,” Robinson said. “She always had a hope and an ambition that she could get herself back. The most important thing in all this has been her personal health and well-being and, going forward, that has to be the most important thing. What we do know is that she can get on top of the illness that she’s had.”Fundamentally it’s been about Sarah’s commitment to face up to the challenges she’s got and her determination to get herself better. It’s been a graduated return – everything we’ve done from the beginning has been in conjunction with clinical support.”If she progresses in her mental and physical wellbeing then, like anybody in any profession, she’ll be more likely to be successful and happy.”Yet while England believe they have done everything they can to assist Taylor, it is impossible to eradicate the risk of her problems flaring up again during the tournament. “You never know what’s around the corner – it might come up and bite you on the backside again. I know that, Sarah knows that,” Robinson said.For Robinson, his experience as Sussex coach dealing with Michael Yardy, who suffered from well-documented mental health problems, has proved useful in managing Taylor’s return.”I’ve learned a lot with Michael Yardy and I’ve learned a lot with Sarah. The process teaches you a lot. It teaches you the importance of small targets and graduated steps, and of being able to keep each day as it comes, the hour you’re in, the minute you’re in and, in cricket terms, the ball you’re in.”Mental health problems affect one in four – what you’re trying to do is not let people get to the point where they need to take a break from life or from their jobs, which Sarah had to do. Hopefully with the right intervention at the right times you might be able to deal with things a lot quicker.”For all the inevitable focus upon Taylor’s return, it has led to Amy Jones, who deputised as England’s wicketkeeper-batsman, being omitted from the squad.”It’s professional sport – players get picked, players get left out. I’m not being insensitive,” Robinson said. “What Amy needs to remember – and she will because she’s a good pro – is that any moment she could be called back up into the squad, not only for Sarah but also for a batter.”Sarah Taylor last played for England at the 2016 World T20•Getty Images

Taylor’s return was not the only encouraging news for England. Heather Knight is expected to start batting again in the nets next Monday, and it is hoped she will complete her recovery from a stress fracture in her left foot in time to lead England in both their official warm-up matches.Those games will be welcome, given Robinson’s frustration about England’s paucity of fixtures. By the start of the World Cup, it will have been over seven months since their last one-day international.”In a perfect world we’d have had another series between then and now,” Robinson said. “Ideally we’d play better teams more often so you get a better understanding of where you are and you can learn and move on quicker.”Yet, even so, he is in no doubt of the side’s improvements since the World T20. Since then, England have won all three of their ODI series, with a 3-2 victory in the West Indies their most notable success.”We’ve played with more freedom, we’re tactically a little bit more aware, we’re fitter that’s for sure, which will hopefully give us more resilience and chance of staying on the pitch,” Robinson said.It means that England are entitled to dream of lifting the World Cup at Lord’s on July 23, matching their victories in 1973 and 1993, the other two occasions they have hosted the tournament.”We know we’re not the favourites but we know that if we play to our potential then we won’t be far away,” Robinson said. “I’m excited in the group of players we’ve got. We’ve got a huge ceiling to grow and we’ve done a lot of great work. How far we’ve come up we’ll only really know when we get to the matches that really count.”If it ends up being three out of three, fantastic, but if not so be it. We just have to make sure we keep doing the small things better.”

Amid the protracted pay dispute, Australia’s cricketers have a major tournament to turn out for, and captain Steven Smith insists that’s where their focus lies

Brydon Coverdale01-Jun-20173:46

What exactly is the Cricket Australia-ACA pay dispute?

For several months, the ongoing pay dispute has been the only story in Australian cricket. Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association have been so far apart on the issue that the stand-off has degenerated into a campaign played out in public instead of behind closed doors. And now there is actual cricket to be played by the national team.So, are the Australians playing the Champions Trophy against the backdrop of a pay dispute, or is the pay dispute in the foreground and the Champions Trophy the backdrop? Even accounting for the buzz around the relations between India’s coach and players, for seven of the countries involved, the cricket is very likely to be the sole focus. But for Australia’s players? As much as they would like to focus on lifting the trophy, in the back of their minds they must wonder if they will remain employed next month.”For us, we’re focusing on this tournament,” the captain Steven Smith said in Birmingham ahead of Australia’s opening match against New Zealand. “Obviously there are some things going on in the background. But for me it’s about focusing on this tournament.”These tournaments only come around every four years – or two years, with the World Cup – so these are the big tournaments and the ones you really want to win. My focus is on that and I’ll let the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) handle everything else outside of that.”Nevertheless, the players are acutely aware of what is going on back home in Australia – and in some cases, what is not going on. What is not happening? Discussions between the two parties. What is happening? A battle for the unofficial public vote, in which both sides say they are looking out for the grassroots of the game.”I think if we look back at the last MoU, players gave back $10 million to grassroots cricket, which is quite significant,” Smith said. “We’re certainly looking to do the same sort of stuff in this new agreement. ACA is handling that and I’m sure they’ll come to an agreement soon.”For the time being, all Smith and his men can afford to think about is the Champions Trophy, a tournament that Australia have won twice before, though none of the current squad have been part of those triumphs. And the Australians need to quickly find a way back into the 50-over mindset, having had one of their warm-up games washed out, and with many of the group fresh from IPL duties.”It takes a little bit of time, I think,” Smith said. “We’ve been playing a lot of white-ball cricket, so I guess that helps. You just have to realise that 50 overs is a lot longer than 20, and you can rein things back in and know that you can bring the gear back down a bit, but also have the gear to go up at the back end of the game or if you want to take someone on.”It’s taken a few guys a little bit of time to bring their games back down a level, not try and overhit the ball, particularly in England. It’s a place where the outfields are so fast and you don’t have to actually overhit it. The guys have been working on that.”New Zealand and Australia have met in two Chappell-Hadlee campaigns over the past six months, both of which have been comfortably won by whichever was the home side. In English conditions that may offer some swing, New Zealand’s attack could prove a handful, although Australia’s pace group led by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will be equally challenging.”They’ve got some good new-ball bowlers who can swing the ball around, and if there’s a bit there we’ll have to be quite watchful,” Smith said. “If it’s good batting and the sun is out, then hopefully we can put a bit of pressure on those guys and try and play the way we did in Australia against them. I thought we played really well there.”

Sunderland looked like they were close to bringing in Eliezer Mayenda – but a deal is currently being held up, as reported by journalist Santi Aouna.

Who is Eliezer Mayenda?

The 18-year-old currently plays for Sochaux in France and has already burst onto the scene and their first-team picture despite being in his teens. He made his league debut for the Ligue 2 outfit during the 2022/23 season and played 15 times in total for the club, although only one of those appearances was a start.

The striker though did manage to hit the back of the net despite his youth and when you consider he managed only 3.2 lots of 90 minutes, it isn't a bad rate for the youngster.

He's also clearly regarded highly at national team level as well, albeit not with the first-team. Mayenda has represented Spain at youth team level, making his debut for their Under-17 side only last year and playing three times for his country. The centre-forward then is clearly viewed as having some talent, so it's no surprise to see Tony Mowbray and Sunderland weighing up a move.

Are Sunderland signing Eliezer Mayenda?

Now, his performances could have earned him a move to England. According to journalist Santi Aouna, Sunderland have already reached an agreement to bring the 18-year-old to the Championship – but it has currently been put on hold. That is because, despite already sorting out a move for the wonderkid – and with the man himself eager to switch to the Stadium of Light – Sochaux are now holding out for more money.

"Agreement reached between Sochaux and Sunderland for the transfer Eliezer Mayenda," the reporter said.

"But the file is temporarily blocked by the Sochaliens who are now demanding more money. Striker wants to join Sunderland."

It looks as though a move could therefore hinge on whether one of the two clubs can alter their offer or valuation for Mayenda. If Sunderland don't opt to splash more funds, a move could fall through at the last hurdle, which would certainly be frustrating.

It would be a shame for the centre-forward, who seems to want to head to the EFL outfit now. It's unclear how much Sochaux are holding out for, or how much is currently on the table, but Transfermarkt suggest that his value is around the 300,000 Euro mark (or £259,900) and that would be a fairly cheap transfer for someone who is still only young but is already proven in a first-team environment.

There isn't much to go off in terms of what he could offer Sunderland, having only played those 15 league games for Sochaux so far. However, his reserve team stats make for good reading, as he bagged four in 14 in National 3 – Group J for the youth setup.

He clearly knows where the back of the net is then – and more gametime, for a side in Sunderland who do have a young team already, could allow him to prosper if he does move to the Stadium of Light.

Glasgow Rangers have signed seven players so far this summer as Michael Beale looks to rejuvenate a squad that finished 2022/23 empty-handed.

With the majority of his business done, the onus will be on the 42-year-old to move on a few players to free up the wage budget and raise some funds, however one such move may turn into a serious blunder…

Is Robby McCrorie leaving Rangers?

According to The Scottish Sun, McCrorie looks set to leave Ibrox this summer after having talks with Beale over his future.

The manager now appears to be resigned to losing the 25-year-old as he is looking to secure first-team football elsewhere and despite Beale admiring his ability, it now seems like he won't stand in his way regarding a potential exit.

The Gers signed former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland during the summer and with the nine-cap England international set to begin the season as the number one choice between the posts, McCrorie isn’t prepared to revert to a backup option having featured regularly for the club during the final part of the 2022/23 season.

Who is leaving Rangers?

Antonio Colak appears to be leaving the Light Blues after only one season, moving to Parma in a £2.5m deal while Fashion Sakala is also close to a move, with an unnamed Saudi club interested in signing him for a fee believed to be around £4m as Beale aims to recoup some cash for further signings.

Despite their obvious quality in front of goal, scoring 30 goals between them last term, the arrivals of Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers should be more than enough to offset their departures.

It could be a blunder to let McCrorie leave on the other hand, and it could turn out to be a similar situation to that of Cedric Itten, who has gone on to impress elsewhere following an exit from Ibrox.

The Swiss international struggled during his two seasons at the Gers, netting just eight times across 49 matches and was sold by Giovanni van Bronckhorst last summer to BSC Young Boys for £1.5m which was seen as good business at the time.

He has since shown Gers supporters exactly what they missed, however, scoring 23 goals and grabbing 12 assists as the Swiss outfit won the domestic double last term, and although he wouldn’t have been a regular starter under Beale, there is no doubt he could have contributed with a few goals.

McCrorie could be another who leaves Ibrox and shines elsewhere, especially if his performances for the Light Blues are anything to go by. The Scot has made only six starts for Rangers during his time at the club, yet he has kept five clean sheets during those matches, conceding just one goal.

The £5.7k-per-week ace was the only ‘keeper for the Gers to keep a clean sheet against Celtic last term, in their 3-0 victory at Ibrox in May and looked to have a chance at taking the number one jersey from the departing Allan McGregor ahead of 2023/24.

Steven Gerrard dubbed the departing gem and his brother Ross as “model professionals” back in 2020 and although it would be a shame to see him leave the club, he is far too good to be warming the bench for the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, the decision doesn’t come back to haunt Beale – as it perhaps has with regard to Itten.

Newcastle United have had a relatively understated summer transfer window thus far as Sandro Tonali has been their only first-team addition.

The Magpies snapped the Italy international up from Serie A giants AC Milan for a reported fee in the region of £55m, after they signed youngster Yankuba Minteh and loaned him to Feyenoord.

There is still more than a month to go before the deadline passes, which means that sporting director Dan Ashworth has plenty of time left to prepare the squad for Premier League and Champions League action for the 2023/24 campaign.

Eddie Howe's side have been linked with a move that would represent a significant splash in the market, however, as they have been touted with a €90m (£77m) swoop to sign Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

How good is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?

The 22-year-old is a sensational forward who would arrive as a statement signing for Newcastle after his terrific season in Italy.

He helped Napoli to secure the Serie A title with his stunning performances on the left flank as a right-footed winger, as the Georgia international contributed with an outstanding 12 goals and ten assists in 34 appearances.

To put that amazing accomplishment into context, no Toon wide attacker managed more than 11 goals or five Premier League assists last term, whilst Kieran Trippier led the team for assists with seven.

This suggests that the Napoli wizard would be a significant upgrade on the manager's current options out wide, due to how frequently he is able to punish teams in the final third.

With such a claim in mind, Howe could now unearth the club's next version of Hatem Ben Arfa – another magical forward who entertained crowds – by snapping up the talented youngster.

Between 2011 and 2015, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain talent racked up 14 goals and 15 assists in 86 appearances for the Magpies as a left-footed right winger.

The French wizard was also capable of the sublime as he dazzled supporters with his ability to score fantastic individual goals, with his strikes against Blackburn and Bolton in 2012 standing out as two of his best.

Ben Arfa, who averaged at least two dribbles completed per match throughout his Premier League career, had the quality to conjure something out of nothing, which left fans excited when he picked the ball up in any position on the pitch as they knew that something could happen.

Kvaratskhelia is a player with the same kind of star power. The terrific maestro, who completed 2.2 dribbles per match in the Serie A, was dubbed 'Maradona-esque' due to his knack for scoring incredible solo goals, with one of his strikes in August of last year described as a 'wonder goal'.

He has the talent to make things happen in a flash due to his phenomenal dribbling ability coupled with his reliable end product, which is proven by his impressive return for goals and assists last season.

Therefore, supporters could get excited whenever the Georgian sensation, who journalist Paolo Del Genio claimed is "irreplaceable", picks up possession because they would know that the potential is there for something truly special to happen at any moment.

Chelsea could make a serious attempt to sign Roma and Argentina attacker Paulo Dybala during the summer transfer window, a new report has claimed.

When does Paulo Dybala's contract expire?

The Argentine has enjoyed a glittering career overall, not necessarily always reaching the heights many have expected of him, but still tasting so much success along the way.

Dybala is a five-time Serie A champion, winning all of those trophies during his time as a Juventus player, and he also famously tasted 2022 World Cup glory with Argentina back in December, scoring a penalty in the shootout victory over France in the final.

The 29-year-old has been a key man for Roma since joining from Juve last year, scoring 12 goals and registering six assists in 22 league starts in 2022/23. Despite that, it could be that he is allowed to move on during the current transfer window, with his current deal running out in 2025, meaning now could be a good time to move him on and receive a healthy fee.

Chelsea are looking for more attacking reinforcements to come in this summer, as they look to forget all about a woeful season and become top-four challengers again, and it could be that they see Dybala as a potential addition before the new Premier League campaign gets underway.

Are Chelsea signing Paulo Dybala?

According to Sport Mediaset [via Sport Witness], the attacker actually wants to stay put at Roma, but the club aren't necessarily as keen to retain his services moving forward.

A meeting with his agent and the club is "expected in the coming days", with his rumoured €12m (£10.2m) release clause possibly allowing the Blues to snap him up on the cheap. Chelsea's interest in the player is described as "real", and they would be willing to offer him a "much more substantial salary" to the one he is earning at Roma currently.

Dybala could certainly be an eye-catching signing for Chelsea, considering what a world-renowned player he has been for a number of years now, being described by Roma boss Jose Mourinho as his "sensation" recently. He is clearly a class act who has seen it all in the game, but there would still be reservations about him moving to Stamford Bridge.

For starters, he does turn 30 later this year, and with Mauricio Pochettino hopefully looking to build a young team who can excel together for a number of years, he wouldn't represent a long-term signing who is going to go up a gear any time soon. There is also an argument to say that his very best days are already behind him, hence why Juve were willing to sell him to a Serie A rival last year.

On the flip side, Dybala still possesses undeniable quality with his left foot, making things happen in the final third and being able to operate as a No.10 or out wide, and he could help fill the void left by Mason Mount, providing creativity in the middle of the park and providing for what is hopefully a new No.9 that arrives this summer.

The BCB President said that after Pakistan turned down the tour of Bangladesh in July 2017, Bangladesh’s High Performance and U-19 teams will not be touring Pakistan later this year

Mohammad Isam27-May-2017Bangladesh will not consider or discuss tours to Pakistan, as relations between the two sides continue to remain cold.There had been talks – in April – of sending Bangladesh’s the High Performance or Under-19 team to Pakistan but those plans have been put to bed with the BCB making arrangements for them to play teams from New Zealand and England.”We haven’t spoken about going to Pakistan since we heard their decision from the media,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan said. “The national team [touring Pakistan] is out of the question. Our HP or U-19 [teams] might have gone there but when they made this announcement [of postponing the Bangladesh tour] we are no longer in talks. After this, there is no question of talking about the HP tour.”They will go elsewhere. We have confirmed programmes with New Zealand and England. We are in talks with two more countries. Within a couple of months, we will be releasing the specific schedules. Many of these series will be held at home.”Rather than forcing the Pakistan tour in July this year, the BCB want the Bangladesh players rest so they can be ready for the home Tests against Australia in August-September, the tour of South Africa in September-October and the Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament in November-December.”I think we can rest our players during that time,” Hassan said. “Our boys are playing a lot these days. From Champions Trophy they’ll come home, play against Australia and then head off to South Africa. From there, they will come home and start with the BPL, and then they have more cricket.”I am not too keen about the Pakistan tour. But if we need to play [in that time], we have four or five countries lined up to play against Bangladesh. It won’t be hard to arrange matches, but right now we are not really keen on filling that gap either.”However, the only caveat is the ICC deadline for automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup, which is on September 30 this year. Hassan said on Saturday, as he did couple of times last year, that the BCB are in touch with the ICC to find out what they have to do to make the cut for the World Cup.