Paper Round: Mesut Ozil wants Manchester United move

Mesut Ozil won't renew his contract at Arsenal, with less than a year left on his current deal. That means he will be able to leave for nothing in the summer, and sign a pre-contract deal with a club in another country. However, Ozil's advisors have been in touch with Manchester United over a potential switch to Old Trafford, and have been given encouragement to look for a move. Jose Mourinho will encourage his club to move for the 28-year-old German international, and may make a move for Alexis Sanchez in January, too.

Paper Round's view: Ozil is a flighty, inconsistent performer, but when he is on form he is a devastating player. His best football came when he was managed by the demanding Mourinho, and the two of them have a mutual respect. Alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba, he would make up one of the best midfields in European football if he did decide to move.

After a difficult spell at the start of the season with David Sullivan, the fans have now turned on West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. The Croatian manager oversaw a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium where they were held back by defensive slackness, refereeing decisions and an injury to Michail Antonio. However, after six months of struggling, the fans are losing heart with Bilic and his contract is due to run out at the end of the season.

Paper Round's view: Managing West Ham, with David Sullivan and David Gold in charge, is hardly the greatest job in the world. As much as Bilic has overseen mistakes and poor form, he can hardly be desperate to stay after they have undermined him whenever possible. For West Ham fans, they may regret their decision when they see the kind of football that Rafael Benitez would have them playing.

Manchester United are taking action over fans who continue to sing the racist chant about Romelu Lukaku, saying after the Southampton game: "The club and player have been clear in asking for an end to the chant. The club has worked with relevant bodies and supporters groups in trying to eradicate any offensive behaviour and will take further action against individuals if this continues. The club, in discussion with the police, has asked for CCTV footage from Southampton and will try to identify those who disrespected the player's wishes not to sing the song."

Paper Round's view: If fans want to prove they are still lawless renegades who won't be bossed around by authorities, they might want to wonder if a racist, awful song is the manner in which they want to do it. They also might want to wonder just how provocative they are being by lining the pockets of all kinds of corporations with their regular donations of cash to the Glazers and the equivalent owners of other clubs.

Alaistair Campbell's new diary includes a snippet about Sir Alex Ferguson's change in heart over Roy Keane's suitability as a manager. The player was Keane's darling for many years, but was moved on for pointing out to Ferguson that the lawsuit over stud rights for Rock of Gibraltar was an unnecessary distraction to the club. Campbell wrote: “I said you used to say he was the most intelligent player you’d had, and the one likeliest to be a top manager. He went ‘Wrong. There is something not right there’.”

Paper Round's view: Keane was entirely correct about Ferguson's mistake over the Rock of Gibraltar, given it led to the takeover by the Glazers and the exit of a billion pounds to the new owners, instead of being largely reinvested in the team. While it is not Ferguson who has brought this argument to light again, it is something that Ferguson needs to resolve, rather than Keane, who seems content enough in his job with Ireland.