Bangladesh head coach Thomas Dooley has named a 23-member squad for the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, with England-based forward Farhaan Ali Wahid included in the final squad.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced the squad on Friday.
Farhaan is currently on loan at Boreham Wood from Fulham’s academy setup.
The squad also includes England-based defender Zidane Yousuf and Japan-based midfielder Shuki Itofusa.
Farhaan’s inclusion has attracted particular attention as Dooley looks to add more firepower to a Bangladesh attack that has struggled for a proven goalscorer in recent years.
The Bangladesh coach has been impressed by the forward’s finishing ability and believes it could prove valuable for the national team.
“What I love about this guy [Farhan Ali Wahid] is that he knows how to finish. That's perfect,” Dooley recently told reporters.
Farhaan is expected to join the Bangladesh squad in Indonesia ahead of the tournament.
However, Dooley has stressed that the youngster should not be burdened with expectations to single-handedly solve Bangladesh’s goalscoring problems.
“We have not put him under too much pressure that he needs to be the saviour. I see him as a good, talented player. He has incredible skill. He has to bring it onto the field at the professional level. If he can do that, he will be a great asset for us,” Dooley said.
The eight-team Premier Division of the FIFA ASEAN Cup will begin in Jakarta on September 25, with Bangladesh facing Malaysia in their opening Group A match.
Bangladesh will then face Singapore on September 28 before taking on hosts Indonesia on October 1. All three group matches will be played at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Srabon
Defenders: Zidane Yousuf, Shakil Ahad, Saad Uddin, Rahmat Mia, Tariq Kazi, Zayyan Ahmed
Midfielders: Monjurur Rahman, Jamal Bhuyan, Md Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana, Md Ridoy, Hamza Choudhury, Shamit Shome
Forwards: Fahamedul Islam, Shekh Morsalin, Rakib Hossain, Farhaan Ali, Shuki Itofusa, Minhazul Karim Shadin, Shahriar Emon