Paper Round: Liverpool leading chase for England star

Liverpool and Spurs target Berahino: Both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing wantaway West Brom striker Saido Berahino with the Reds in pole position to land the man they believe can save their struggling season, according to Talksport. Berahino got off to a blistering start for the Baggies this season, scoring seven goals in his first nine Premier League, but a barren run has not seen him score since October with the sources suggesting he “is keen to force through a move in January and both Spurs and Liverpool are monitoring his situation”. Brendan Rodgers apparently wants to sign Berahino for his pace and direct play, something which he reportedly believes could help turn the club's ailing season around.

Paper Round’s view: Berahino’s season has tapered off in recent weeks, so much so that he has not started the last three games for free-falling West Brom. Maybe the Baggies are already planning for life without the forward. Liverpool and Tottenham are both known to want to strengthen their forward line so a move could suit all parties. However, selling their only goal threat could prove fatal to West Brom’s hopes of staving off relegation. This does seem a fairly probable move with Berahino reportedly unhappy at West Brom and Liverpool's desire for additional pace makes complete sense.

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Sanogo set for Palace? Yaya Sanogo is a man that Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock hopes will help keep his team in the Premier League. That’s the view of the Evening Standard’s Simon Johnson, who reports that Sanogo “could be the perfect player to replace Marouane Chamakh at Selhurst Park although Wenger would need convincing to part with the France youth international.”

Paper Round’s view: Sanogo has been the centre of many an Arsenal fan’s jokes this season but with Fraizer Campbell, Dwight Gayle, Marouane Chamakh, Kevin Doyle and Andy Johnson scoring just six goals between them this season, Palace need to get goals from somewhere. The much-maligned Sanogo has, in fact, a very impressive strike rate in international football and for his former club Auxerre, so a move to Palace could actually be beneficial to all involved. Palace get a goalscorer, Sanogo gets playing time and much-needed Premier League experience.

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Arsenal eye move for Sissoko: According to reports coming out of The Mirror, “Arsene Wenger is eyeing a £16m move for Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko.” The paper says that Sissoko idolised Patrick Vieira as a child and quotes the player as saying, “I have ambition. My goal is to play at the best clubs, playing in the Champions League, win trophies, but today I am a Magpie and I am very happy. Arsenal were my favourite club when I was young and my idol was Patrick Vieira. I have always loved this club and I still love them.”

Paper Round’s view: This is a strange one. Arsenal are said to have around £20 million to spend in January but surely the priority, much like Manchester United, must be to shore up that leaky defence first and foremost. Despite long-term injuries to Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere, Arsenal have plenty of cover in midfield, especially with Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey set to return imminently. A player’s admiration for a club does not mean he will sign for them.

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Spartak desperate for Salah: Spartak Moscow manager Murat Yakin is keen to offer out of favour Chelsea midfielder Mohamed Salah a way out of Chelsea, according to the Evening Standard. Salah joined Chelsea from Basel last January but has been given little opportunity to shine and the paper quotes Yakin as saying, “I want to sign both Salah and Fabian Frei (still at Basel). I know both players well. I know the economic situation in Russia is not the best, but the club can afford both players’ wages. The club president promised a surprise in the upcoming transfer market; I spoke with him about both Salah and Frei and I hope it will happen, that’d be my Christmas present. I’ll do whatever it takes to get Salah in the team, even if I have to beg for it.”

Paper Round’s view: Salah was coveted by Liverpool before his move to Chelsea and will surely be frustrated by his lack of first team action. Spartak can offer him regular first team football and a healthy pay cheque that could be difficult for both club and player to refuse. Furthermore, Yakin brought the best out of Egyptian international Salah when the pair were at Basel together so a reunion could help reinvigorate the career of Salah which has undoubtedly stagnated since his move to London. Having the trust of a manager can completely transform a player – one must only look at Gervinho’s re-emergence at Roma as an example of this.