STEVE Rhodes says he will talk with Kabir Ali in the next week to discuss his future at Worcestershire.

The want-away bowler is the only County player on an old style nine-month contract at New Road, with the rest on 12-month deals, and is not obliged to report back for training with the rest of the squad on November 3.

The 28-year-old is keen to join his former Worcestershire colleague Simon Jones at Hampshire after holding talks with the Rose Bowl county. However, with the New Road side demanding £60,000 compensation for the final year of his contract, Kabir has not managed to seal the move.

It is believed the south coast club made an undisclosed offer to Worcestershire this week, but that was rejected.

“I’ll sit down with Kabir in the next week or so and talk about next season,” said director of cricket Rhodes, who returned from a week in the United States last night. “He is the only player on the old style contract so I need to speak to him about training.

“He was granted time to speak to other counties and that deadline has now passed. If anyone wants to speak to him now they have to go through us — otherwise they could face a fine of up to £50,000.

“Of course, in April, counties can start to put 28-day notices of approach in for him.”

Having missed the majority of last season with a back injury, Kabir expressed his desire to leave last month.

The former England bowler is desperate to return to the international scene and feels a move to Hampshire will help him realise his ambition. But, with the hefty compensation figure the stumbling block, Kabir is likely to return to Worcestershire training in the new year.

Meanwhile, Rhodes has placed Chris Russell on a one-year contract after impressing for the second XI. The 20-year-old pace bowler from the Isle of Wight has been playing for Wolverhampton. He took 41 wickets for the Birmingham League club last summer and 30 for the County seconds.

“He is a player that has promise and someone second team manager Damian D’Oliveira has been impressed with,” Rhodes said. “We felt he could benefit from a full training programme.

“Chris is the only player we have signed since Alan Richardson and, at the moment, there aren’t any more. I don’t want to bring in just anyone.”