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Paper Round: PSG want Kylian Mbappe and Fabinho, Atletico Madrid urge Diego Costa to make peace

Michael Hincks

Updated 22/08/2017 at 07:17 GMT

Paris Saint-Germain look set to prise Kylian Mbappe away from Monaco, and they want to bring another team-mate along for the ride. It's Tuesday's Paper Round.

Fabinho et Mbappé (Monaco)

Image credit: Getty Images

£128m + Moura = Mbappe ?

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly edging towards a £201m double deal for Monaco's Kylian Mbappe and Fabinho. A number of British papers, including The Sun, have run with the story after reports in Italy suggested Monaco are willing to sell Mbappe to their Ligue 1 rivals for £128m plus Lucas Moura. Throw Fabinho into the mix and you have a swoop worth roughly the same as what PSG paid for Neymar alone.
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Kylian Mbappe

Image credit: Getty Images

Paper Round's view: The transfer window opened with suggestions that the £100m barrier could be broken. Now, after seeing twice that amount spent on a Brazilian maestro, the same club are looking to spend well clear of that value once again (while also disposing of a top-class player in the process). It's crazy money, but can it buy you the Champions League? The Parisian fans will expect nothing less with a Neymar-Mbappe strikeforce, but European football offers zero guarantees.
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Atletico urge Costa to make peace

Atletico Madrid have told Diego Costa to resolve his current stand-off with Chelsea. The Sun reports that Atletico will not consider re-signing the striker until he makes peace with Antonio Conte and Chelsea. The Premier League champions are seeking £50m for the Spaniard, though the La Liga outfit are only willing to spend £25m on Costa, who has not returned to Stamford Bridge following a text from Conte that said he would not be in his plans for the new season.
Paper Round's view: One of this summer's many dragged-out sagas. Atletico's inability to sign anyone this transfer window means this one will likely go beyond Christmas, though we can only hope that a resolution is met soon. It's clear where Costa wants to go, but it's where he plays for the next four months that remains the concern. Chances of that being at Chelsea? Zero per cent, surely?
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Alli's agent swap

Europe's biggest clubs are on alert after reports suggest Dele Alli is considering changing his agent. The Daily Mail claims that the Tottenham midfielder is thinking about parting company with representative Rob Segal, in a move which could scupper Spurs' wage structure. Alli is currently on £60,000-a-week, though the two-time PFA Young Player of the Year is reportedly aware that he could earn triple that value elsewhere.
Paper Round's view: Money in football today means £60,000-a-week is peanuts for a player of Alli's calibre. Though Spurs' wage structure may be rigid, those competing around them are willing to pay whatever it takes. If a club is willing to fill his pockets with more gold, with a greater promise of silverware in the process, then he won't be in north London for long.
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Chelsea join Spurs in race for Barkley

With Tottenham set to offer £20m for Everton's Ross Barkley, Chelsea have entered the fold as they look to secure the midfielder's services. The Telegraph claims that Chelsea see £20m, plus £8m in potential add-ons, as great value given the extortionate fees other players have gone for this window, and the Premier League champions could yet scupper Spurs' plans to sign Barkley, who is facing up to three months out after tearing his hamstring in training.
Paper Round's view: The money talked about here does appear to represent good value for money, but how would Barkley fare at Chelsea? Or even Spurs for that matter. The move (to either club) smacks of a player looking for a big-club move, but in truth, the starting opportunities could be few and far between. Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell, Fabian Delph all spring to mind. And there are many more names that can be added to that list.
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