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Vinod Rai, the chairman of the Committee of Administrators responsible for implementing the Lodha reforms in the BCCI, has said he doesn’t want to take a confrontational approach

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20175:50

Ugra: Balance sheet shows no shortage of funds in states

The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators will strive to consult with and persuade – and not confront – state associations into compliance of the Lodha Committee recommendations.The Supreme Court had ordered several changes to the functioning of the Indian board in July last year but none of them have been made yet. Staunch opposition from the state associations has been one of the major reasons for the delay and though the CoA said it did not want to use force, it did make clear the only option available was to comply.Having been appointed on January 30, the CoA finished 50 days in office on Wednesday and had invited a select group of journalists for an hour-long interaction. “For every objective to be achieved you need to do it in stages,” Chairman Vinod Rai said. “The thing is that at each stage, whatever persuasive power that we need, and I am saying persuasive in inverted commas, we will apply.”The CoA was set up to both supervise the BCCI – who are without a president or secretary – and help ensure the implementation of the Lodha recommendations. But so far, both the Indian board and its state associations have ignored the deadlines that had been set for them. Even various warnings from the Supreme Court could not spur them to action. So the most asked question to the CoA was how they were going the succeed in the face of such intransigence.Rai said he could understand the state associations’ reluctance to change, considering most of them have been governed by the same set of administrators for a long time and they were being asked to leave. “We will try to persuade them to see the writing on the wall. We know what is to be done at what point of time. They have been sitting for 25 years, you are asking them to go. At some point, they will see that that is the end of the road for them. And if they don’t understand it, they will be made to understand in a language they will understand. You cannot have defiance of the highest court of the land. Greater bodies, more authoritative people have tried to defy the Supreme Court and they have not succeeded.”The only thing is that they have difficulty accepting the practical aspects of it. Hopefully within the course of time they will be able to understand. We will talk to them. They may have some reasonable differences, clarifications etc.. We will try and help them out with it. We will try to bring them around.”The state associations have filed a fresh set of petitions in the court, on the basis of the argument that Article 19 (1)(c) of the Indian constitution protects their right to form societies and function autonomously. The argument has already been struck down in previous hearings of the case.Some state associations have also sought clarity on the nine-year cap imposed on a BCCI office bearer, a recommendation that the court had already approved. “If they have genuine problems about understanding it, we will explain. It is our job,” Rai said. “If they still refuse to understand, then of course we will have to make out a road map of how we ask them to implement it.”Rai, however, insisted the CoA wouldn’t resort to using force to complete their objectives. “There is no question of aggression at all. They [state associations] may not be generous. It is not a question of generosity. They are representing a particular group of people. We don’t have to rely on their generosity. The attempt is to collaborate, cooperate. Cricket has to be delivered to cricket lovers in the form in which they want it. You and I sitting in governance cannot be made into stumbling blocks or road blocks to it because it is not suiting us. Because it is not suiting the way we were accustomed to administer it in the past.”The two other members of the CoA who were present at the interaction – Ramachandra Guha and former Indian women’s captain Diana Edulji – also gave their full backing to the collaborative approach. “We want to do it in a consultative way,” Guha said. “We don’t want to do it in a confrontational way. We want to take everyone (on board).”Upon taking over as chairman of the CoA two months ago, Rai said he saw himself and his colleagues as nightwatchmen. On Wednesday, he was “reasonably confident” of being done with the job by the end of the year.

Leeds United will be well aware of the looming Championship season that draws ever closer, making their reluctance to appoint a new manager somewhat concerning.

With Daniel Farke the frontrunner, it seems that the confirmation of the 49ers' takeover is stalling the official announcement that would allow the German to actually get to work not only with the current squad but in adding to it too.

Despite that, there have already been numerous transfer targets that have seemingly been drawn up by the club. One such example is Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, who continues to be linked with an Elland Road switch despite Premier League and other top-flight clubs from across Europe having shown an interest.

The Swedish marksman has already shown his ability to dominate the English second tier, so it would take an almighty task for the Whites to convince him to stay for one more season.

However, should they earn a promotion at the first time of asking, this 25-year-old marksman could star up front for them for the next decade. This would make his reported £25m price tag more than justified.

Should Leeds United sell Brenden Aaronson?

Should this hulking, pacey front-man decide on a move to Yorkshire, he could not only revolutionise their attack in an instant but have a transformative effect on those around him too.

At last the wingers would have a true focal point with which to play off, and the midfielders can now seek to push on knowing the chaos this 6 foot 2 finisher will bring.

However, should such a move accelerate, it is perhaps Brenden Aaronson that would be most excited to welcome this classic number nine into the side.

The American only joined last summer for a mouth-watering £24.7m fee, but struggled under the weight of his price tag and the physicality of the Premier League.

What did not aid matters was that Patrick Bamford, Leeds' usually-reliable striker, endured one of his worst seasons in recent memory. Rodrigo had to pick up the pieces, and whilst his 13 league goals marked an outstanding year, he plays without those physical assets that make Gyokeres so frightening and tricky to defend.

Should he join up with the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, perhaps the two could strike up a fine partnership that revitalises the former RB Salzburg maestro at last.

After all, in his final year in Austria, he did record 16 goal contributions across all competitions.

Not only would Aaronson be able to feed off the carnage his new teammate would provide, but the space he would be afforded would multiply massively as Gyokeres wrecks his way through defenders.

His tally of 21 goals and ten assists in the Championship last term somehow dwarfed the 17 he scored the year before even that, with it being no surprise to see former teammate Maxime Biamou brand him "unplayable".

It could be argued that this level is now beneath him, and therefore a move to Yorkshire makes little sense. However, should he look to the long-term, and was to be the man to spearhead their promotion the Sweden international would remain a hero at this famous club for many years to come.

Reigniting Aaronson though, who could only muster one league goal all last campaign, would still remain his most impressive feat though should he manage both.

Chelsea have a good relationship with Lyon amid their attempts to sign midfielder Rayan Cherki this window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Rayan Cherki and Christian Pulisic?

As per Football London, Cherki is a target for Chelsea this summer and the Blues sent scouts to watch the Frenchman on several occasions last season.

The report states that Chelsea are in the hunt to replace the departed Kai Havertz and Mason Mount and Cherki could represent a second arrival from Lyon in the past six months following the purchase of Malo Gusto.

One outlet in France claim that both Newcastle United and Paris Saint-German are also keen on Cherki, who Lyon will demand around £43 million for before sanctioning his departure.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has also revealed in recent times that Lyon have made advances to try and sign Chelsea winger Pulisic this window, stating on Twitter: "EXCL: Chelsea have received written offer from Lyon for Christian Pulisic. €25m (+ meaningful sell-on still being negotiated): a level CFC would find acceptable. Good relations with Textor & Olympique Lyonnais via Malo Gusto deal."

AC Milan are also keen to strike a deal for Pulisic and have submitted a bid for the USA international and hold internal belief that he would choose to move to the San Siro over a switch to Ligue 1 giants Lyon, according to 90min.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Chelsea and Lyon hold an agreeable relationship as the Blues try to sign Cherki this summer.

Jones stated: "He’s right on the money when it comes to fitting Chelsea’s profiling and he is a great player, but what makes this one more interesting is that Lyon are open-minded about offers.

"And a plot twist to the Cherki interest now is that Lyon are currently making a play for Christian Pulisic, and their offer was pretty decent for him, so the conversations between the clubs are already open and the relations seem good so far."

Would Rayan Cherki fit the Chelsea project under Mauricio Pochettino?

Cherki is a creative rising star that would add some further polish to Chelsea's midfield and would fit into their philosophy of signing young stars with the potential to grow into elite stars.

Last term, the £59k-a-week ace made 39 appearances in all competitions for Lyon, registering five goals and six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Cherki completed an average of two key passes and 2.3 dribbles per match during the campaign, making him a dangerous presence for Ligue 1 backlines to tame.

Capable of scoring and fashioning chances for others, the Frenchman also successfully performed 128 shot-creating actions in the French top flight, as per FBRef.

Chelsea have lost a lot of experience in the middle of the part this window, letting go Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mount and Havertz.

Acting to acquire Cherki would not only help them to gain another body in midfield, but it would also excite supporters of the Blues as he has the ability to evolve into a Premier League star in the coming seasons.

Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga has said that being picked consistently in the team has been the key to his mental state and good performances in recent matches

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Mar-2017Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga has said a consistent place in the national team over the past eight months has empowered his batting, after being picked inconsistently over the past few years. Tharanga’s third Test century in Galle comes in the wake of an impressive ODI ton in South Africa last month, and a good tour of Zimbabwe last year.In Angelo Mathews’ absence, Tharanga had also been named ODI captain for the South Africa series, and T20 captain for the series in Australia, when only a year ago, he had struggled to find a place in any of Sri Lanka’s sides.”In the last two or three years, I was in and out of the side – I’d play one series and then miss another one,” Tharanga said. “When that happens as a player, it’s hard to keep that confidence. In the last eight months I played continuously, and that’s been key to my mental state. The captaincy in the limited-overs matches has also helped. That showed me that the selectors had some sort of trust in me. In the Zimbabwe tour and the South Africa tour especially, where there were very good bowlers. With the runs I was able to score there, my confidence rose.”Tharanga said he had especially been disheartened by the seemingly arbitrary nature of his omissions from the Test side – recounting the occasion he had been dropped from the squad after top-scoring in the previous Test, in 2014. Though his overall average is 34.02, he has scored his runs at 40.90 since the start of 2014.”I think I’ve only been unsuccessful in one Test since 2014 – a match against India. In matches against South Africa and Pakistan I did score runs. But then, for instance, after I’d hit a 92 and a 45 against Pakistan in one match, I wasn’t even in the 15-man squad for the next series [in New Zealand]. I can’t do anything about that. I guess people are entitled to make those decisions. I do accept that there were some failures – and you can’t guarantee your spot – but it’s up to me to be consistent. If you can do that you can expect to stay in the team.”And that is the key – to be consistent. As an opener, if you get set, there’s no point scoring forties and fifties – that’s not really worth it for the player or the team. What you’re expected to do as a top-order player is get to a big score. “Though Tharanga has played in five of Sri Lanka’s six most-recent Tests, he has been moved around the order. He batted at no. 5 in Zimbabwe, then at no. 7 in South Africa. With Kaushal Silva now omitted from the Test squad, Tharanga has been asked to open the batting and that is a role he relishes, he said.”It’s not that easy being moved around, because there are big differences in the way you approach those two roles – opening the batting, and playing in the middle order. As a cricketer, though, I prefer to bat in the position that I’m used to, which is as an opener. I can play with freedom there. Either way, you’ve got to do what’s best for the team, and I’m happy to do that.”Sri Lanka has been harsh to openers in recent years however, with pitches generally favouring bowlers, and tracks in Colombo and Pallekele proving especially helpful to seam bowlers. As a result, the average opening partnership in the country since the start of 2014 is 22.45. This is, by a distance, the lowest in the world – seven runs clear of the next-toughest nation for opening batsmen (West Indies). Tharanga knows he has his work cut out for him, with six further Tests scheduled at home over the next six months.”Usually we think Sri Lankan pitches are slow, but the new ball isn’t so easy to face the new ball here anymore. If the ball starts to swing, it becomes like England, and since it’s Sri Lanka, often you don’t even expect that kind of movement. In the first five or 10 overs, it’s very hard to make runs. In the second innings, of course, the spinners can sometimes open the bowling and they come into the game. You can’t really go for your shots early.”

There’s often several signs that we are in that awkward space between the end of the Premier League campaign and the start of pre-season. It’s only comparable to the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. No football fan truly knows what day it is. We’re simply just waiting to be guided by the football calendar.In this awkward period, however, fans begin to show an underrated talent of somehow designing a nicer kit than some of the biggest sports manufacturers in the world manage to come up with.Some of the concept designs are outrageously good – almost too good to never find their way into the club shop.Along that line of thinking, Arsenal supporters have been the latest to be left in awe of a concept kit created by a fan, which many believe is better than the leaked away shirt of the 2023/24 season.

Arsenal’s 2023/24 kits

Credit where credit is due, Arsenal haven’t had more hits than misses when it comes to kits in the last few years. Adidas very rarely fail to leave fans of the North London club disappointed. And the same can be said for their new home shirt.

With a gold trim and classic red combination, it is the look of potential champions. Meanwhile, the added detail of the Invincibles’ results embroidered on the sleeve adds that extra touch of class.

Of course, Adidas do have some amending to do with that version, however, after including just 32 of the 38 results. Once that mistake is corrected, the Gunners will have themselves a kit to remember.

We wish the same could be said about the leaked away kit, which could be the worst that Adidas have released for the club so far. The shirt is almost tennis ball-like with the bright yellow primary colour mixed with the swerving black stripes in a bizarre design.

While they touted third kit isn’t much prettier either…

If the Gunners wanted to stand out, then Adidas have ensured exactly that. But, if they wanted to sell shirts, then they might be in big trouble next season.

Perhaps they’d be better off hiring the designer who created the concept kit below…

Arsenal fan creates concept away kit

This is far better, isn’t it? The kit screams Champions League football with the gold badge combined with the golden trim. Given the gold trim on the home shirt, too, this concept version of the 23/24 away shirt would match up well.

Arsenal fans are certainly admirers of the design, taking to Twitter to voice their opinions. Here are the best reactions…

The offspinner believes India’s spin-friendly wickets mean that Australia’s batsmen stand no chance during their four-match Test series against India later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2017Harbhajan Singh said Australia don’t stand a chance in the four-match Test series against India, especially if spin-friendly pitches are laid out. He also felt Australia’s inexperienced batsmen lacked the quality of their predecessors like Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist.”If Australia play well, India will win 3-0. That is Australia play well. Otherwise, 4-0,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by the . “I don’t think the wickets [in India] are going to be that easy for them. If the ball starts spinning from the first ball, I don’t think they will survive for long.”Players like [Matthew] Hayden, Gilchrist, Ponting, [Damien] Martyn, [Michael] Clarke were all top-class batters. This team – apart from [David] Warner and [Steve] Smith – I don’t think they will be able to play the game they play in Australian conditions, here in India. It is going to be a tough series for them.”Australia’s spin attack is led by Nathan Lyon, who has 228 Test wickets, but the rest of the group – Steve O’Keefe (four Tests), Ashton Agar (two) and uncapped legspinner Mitchell Swepson – are thin on experience. While R Ashwin felt Australia’s spinners couldn’t be taken lightly, Harbhajan said they would find it difficult to bowl the right speeds on Indian pitches.”I don’t think they have the quality to do so. It is different bowling here and bowling there [Australia],” he added. “The speed [off the pitch] is different – they will have to adjust to that.”You don’t get that in Australia but here you get a lot of help, so from the first ball you need to bowl that correct speed. Not many spinners have done [that] in India for the last 15 years. Only [Monty] Panesar and [Graeme] Swann did it but nobody else.”Upon Australia’s arrival, Smith had said he would let individuals decide if they wanted to engage in verbal jousting with India on the field.”If they want to sledge, then they better be prepared for a lot of stuff from this Indian side,” he said. “This Indian team is not going to sit back and listen. All I can say is good luck to Australia if they want to play that way.”Harbhajan, who last played a Test in 2015, is India’s most successful offspinner. With 95 wickets from 18 Tests, including a breakout series in 2001 where he claimed 32 wickets to engineer India’s historic triumph, he was for a long time Australia’s bête noire.

Andrew Flintoff has urged the ECB to resist the introduction of new teams into the domestic T20 tournament and rely instead on a restructured tournament involving the current 18 first-class counties

George Dobell10-Feb-2017Andrew Flintoff has urged the ECB to resist the introduction of new teams into the domestic T20 tournament and rely instead on a restructured tournament involving the current 18 first-class counties.Flintoff, the former England captain and current PCA president, believes some supporters will be “alienated” by new team identities, especially if they named after cities, and warns that the charm of the game will be diminished if players’ loyalty towards their local side is abandoned.”I wanted to play for Lancashire all my life,” Flintoff told former England team-mate, Rob Key, in a Sky Sports podcast. “I didn’t want to play for Manchester. I’d play for Preston, don’t get me wrong. But Manchester doesn’t have that same thing for me. You look at Yorkshire: are you going to play as Leeds and alienate everyone from Barnsley? If you call it Manchester, you’re going to alienate the Scousers.”You turn it into a football scenario. Loyalty goes out of the game. You just go to the highest bidder. Year in, year out, you’re playing for a different teams.”This is where cricket is separated from the likes of football. Look at the top football teams: you’re telling me Sergio Aguero, as a kid, wanted to play for Man City?

“In cricket, we still have an element of loyalty. It’s something that is quite charming about cricket”

“Why does it matter? Because I find in football, the fans are the most loyal people. Not the players or the managers or anybody else. In cricket, we still have an element of loyalty. You played your whole career at Kent; I did the same at Lancashire. The Yorkshire lads are the same. There’s a real pride in playing for your county. I wouldn’t want that to be lost. It’s something that is quite charming about cricket.”Claiming the standard of the Big Bash League was no better than the NatWest Blast – he has appeared in both in recent years – Flintoff cautioned against applying the Australian model in England.”Everyone looks at the Big Bash and says ‘this is brilliant’ and ‘this is what we should do in England’ but I don’t think the standard is any better,” Flintoff said. “The pitches are a lot better.”But the worst thing you can do is compare the Big Bash. Let’s get ours right. The Big Bash has been six years in the making and has started making a profit in the last two years. Before that it was running at a loss.”And, 9pm on Friday at Old Trafford: if you’re watching Lancashire or Manchester, it’s still going to be cold. The weather isn’t going to be any better.”Flintoff did suggest that some aspects of the Big Bash League could be copied, though. But while he appreciated the briefings from commercial teams about the importance of the players understanding the need to reach out to a new audience, he still concluded that a system of promotion and relegation involving all 18 first-class counties would serve English T20 better than a new team competition.”Before we bowled a ball at Brisbane Heat, the commercial department came in and told us what was required of us on and off the field to grow the fan base,” he said. “I’ve never done that with Lancashire. They sat us down and told us about all the interviews we would be doing and what we were expected to do. All the players bought into it. I’d never had that in the county system. Nobody had ever told me what they expected beyond a few runs and wickets.”Why do you need city cricket? I don’t think the NatWest Blast has been done as well as it could. Let’s get the NatWest Blast right, let’s get the format right and put a load of energy into that rather than worrying about a new tournament. Play it in a block. Two divisions, up and down.”Northamptonshire won last year. But will Northants, the best team in the country, be one of the cities? Will they heck. And another thing: you’ll have 200 lads, during the summer, not playing cricket. What are they going to do?”I don’t know if they’ve done this, but they should go to Surrey and see what they’re doing. They play in front of packed houses week in, week out. You see a Surrey game on TV and there’s life and atmosphere and they get full houses.”While Flintoff is a bit loose on a few details – the ECB are looking more at regional rather than city identities for the new teams and those players not involved are scheduled to play a 50-over tournament instead – his words will strike a chord with many traditional cricket lovers. That is not the audience the ECB is targeting with the new team competition, however, and it seems all but inevitable that the new tournament will be launched in 2020.It must also be noted that the company that manages Flintoff is chaired by Surrey chairman Richard Thompson. Surrey have been the strongest opponent of the new team competition among the counties.

Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly remain in the chase for a teen sensation, in a player that could turn the fortunes in front of goal around for Julen Lopetegui.

The Midlands side were the Premier League’s lowest-scorers last season, and will aim to bolster the strike area this summer while remaining on a tight budget.

The Old Gold could achieve both by making a swoop for the latest link, in a deal that could prove to be an overwhelming success in years to come.

What’s the latest on Adama Bojang to Wolves

As reported by Evening Standard this week, Wolves remain in the race for The Gambia and Steve Biko FC striker Adama Bojang.

The striker is reportedly wanted by a ‘raft of European clubs’, with Wolves listed as one of five representing the Premier League.

Evening Standard revealed that the Gambian teenager is valued by Steve Biko FC at £2.6m, making him an attractive prospect for Wolves.

What could Adama Bojang offer to Wolves?

The 19-year-old’s agent is a name familiar to English football, with former Millwall and Plymouth Argyle striker Cherno Samba mentoring the young talent.

Speaking about his client via talkSPORT, the former player lauded the teen as being a starlet “destined for greatness”, making his journey one to watch in world football.

The youngster has rightfully earned his praise, shining in international competition so far this year acting as a talisman for The Gambia in both the U20 African Cup of Nations and the U20 World Cup.

Named in the U20 AFCON team of the tournament, Bojang led his team to a second-place finish in the competition, scoring four goals and assisting one in six games, via Sofascore.

A similar feat has been evident at the U20 World Cup, where the 19-year-old scored two goals in four games, averaging two shots on target per game for his country.

Hailed as an “insane talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the teenager could follow in the footsteps of a Premier League great, who was given a slim chance as a rotation player that allowed him to pass through a door that opened record-breaking status.

Harry Kane burst onto the scene in 2014 in his first full season in the Premier League, scoring 21 goals in 34 appearances for Spurs in a feat that redefined the meaning of taking your chance.

The now 29-year-old has never looked back from the campaign that he was nurtured into the first team by Mauricio Pochettino, and now leads as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 280 goals so far.

Kane’s story is an admirable one for rising stars to aim to follow, and with the England skipper listed as one of the players young Bojang “looks up to”, the Gambian is showing signs of having the potential to hit the ground running in the Premier League like his idol.

Lopetegui is desperate for a goalscorer, and in the 19-year-old he could deploy a hungry-to-succeed talent that undoubtedly has an innate eye for goal, as highlighted by his scoring records this year.

In giving such a young player creative freedom when leading the line, the Spaniard could unearth one of The Gambia’s biggest talents, in a side that isn’t short on creativity.

Molineux could pose to be the perfect place for the teenager to flourish, in an environment that could allow him to make a significant difference to his and Wolves’ future.

India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar has said that India’s lower order batsmen were making good contributions after being exposed to the same amount of practice as the frontliners

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2016India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar has said that increased batting practice for the side’s lower-order batsmen has led to greater contributions from them.India’s Nos 7 to 9 in series in 2016

v England: 704 runs; average: 41.41; team tally: 3135

v New Zealand: 312 runs; average: 52; team tally: 1984

v West Indies: 305 runs; average: 30.50; team tally 1559

Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, India have largely opted for a five-bowler strategy, and the lower order has taken some of the pressure off the frontline batsmen with their knocks, which have sometimes turned matches for the side.In the recent five-match Test series against England, which India won 4-0, the performances of the hosts’ lower order was a significant difference between the two sides. R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav played important knocks in Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai. Led by these three players, India’s last four wickets averaged 48.23 runs per completed partnership, while England’s average was less than half that value. Overall, in 2016, India’s batsmen at these positions scored 1321 runs in 12 matches – second only to England’s 2334 in 17 matches – and their average of 40.03 was the highest in Tests.”I believe the only way to polish your skills is to train in a correct manner with a lot of quantity and a clear plan,” Bangar told . “Your body must get into right positions such that you are able to execute all the shots you want to. From that perspective, we ensured that our lower order got the same amount of batting practice as our frontline batsmen.”Ashwin, who recently was named the ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year, has been one of the big contributors in the lower order, often slotting in at Nos. 6 and 7. In 2016, he scored 612 runs at an average of 43.71 with two key centuries in the West Indies and four fifties to go with a haul of 72 wickets. Bangar said Ashwin was a “clever cricketer, always eager to better his technique”.”He has a cool head, his technique is superb, and he allows the ball to come to him,” Bangar said. “And you can’t tie Ashwin down. He has the cut, he will drive you down the wicket, and even against spinners, he’s a very busy player. Credit to Virat [Kohli] and the team management for putting him at No.6. With his experience, he could control the innings there considering Wriddhiman Saha was relatively new, just settling in Tests.”

Mauricio Pochettino's appointment during the off-season ensures the Chelsea head coach has a chance to run the rule over his players – of which there are many – before the Premier League season kicks off in early August.

It is set to be another busy window at Stamford Bridge, with numerous players linked with moves away and others being touted as possible replacements or indeed upgrades.

While it is true Chelsea are in need of a prolific goalscorer, the club cannot continue to throw large sums of money around in the hope of landing the perfect fit.

With Christopher Nkunku set to officially arrive from RB Leipzig this month in a deal worth over £50m, it looks increasingly likely that the Blues will splash out a further £30m to sign Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal.

But the Blues may already have a new signing of sorts in their ranks ready to step up and play alongside Nkunku when needed.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Pochettino is ready to give Armando Broja a chance to shine during pre-season, amid previous suggestions the striker could be used in part-exchange to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Is Armando Broja good enough for Chelsea?

Broja has spent 14 years on Chelsea's books, but with his 22nd birthday fast approaching, he has made just 13 Premier League appearances for the Blues.

After catching the eye on loan with Southampton in 2021-22 courtesy of a nine goal haul, Broja was finally given a run in the Chelsea side last season, only to sustain a knee injury during the winter break that curtailed his season after just 12 league games.

On the basis of those appearances, though, Broja showed he deserves another shot. He scored at a rate of 0.30 goals per 90 minutes, as per FBref, which was bettered last season by only Joao Felix (0.38) among Chelsea players.

Rather tellingly, though, Broja's figure of 0.30 came from an expected goals (xG) value of 0.24, compared to 0.47 for Joao Felix, suggesting he converted more times than expected based on the quality of his chances, whereas the opposite was true for the latter.

That is further reflected in the shots on target metric, with Broja – on as little as £40k-a-week, according to Capology – doing so from 83.3% of his attempts. The next-best Chelsea player in that regard was Noni Madueke with 50%.

When you also factor in the Albania international's team-high 0.61 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, which considers passes, take-ons and fouls directly prior to a goal, plus his 2.73 aerial duels won per 90 – only two others fared better – it is hard to argue against Pochettino not using Broja.

As Albanian coach Sergio Porrini said last season: "With the necessary comparisons, he's somewhat reminiscent of [Rafael] Leao in how unstoppable he becomes if he stretches the ball into space On the other hand, he is less good with his back to goal, in the construction of the action, but in the spaces he is devastating."

That is not to say Jackson is not a great striker himself – 12 goals in 26 LaLiga appearances last season tells you all you need to know – but Chelsea may well have an answer to their problems already raring to go without the need to waste more money.