Paper Round: Wayne Rooney set for Chinese Super League

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is now unlikely to join Everton, despite Ronald Koeman wanting to bring him to Goodison Park next season. The cost of Rooney's wages and a potential transfer fee has put Koeman off, and interest from LA Galaxy is also on the rocks as it is not clear how United would be able to cancel Rooney's contract without it being prohibitively expensive, according to the Sun. That leaves the Chinese Super League, and there is interest from Gus Poyet's Shanghai Shenhua, and Sven Goran Eriksson's FC Shenzen.

Paper Round's view: Rooney couldn't, in truth, manage to keep up with Everton's young side and their potential. If he were to move to LA, he would be surrounded by hard-running American professionals where he would probably also struggle. China, where it seems he will receive a hefty salary and Manchester United could be suitably rewarded, is probably the most practical and now only viable solution as he winds down his career.

After an impressive, resilient 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final yesterday, Arsene Wenger is expected to sign a two-year contract extension at the Emirates, reports the Express. The Frenchman faced questions over his future as soon as the match was over, but he is anticipated to sign a new contract with the caveat that the club are looking to bring in a director of football. The club want to take the pressure off Wenger from identifying any new targets.

Paper Round's view: It is no surprise that Wenger will choose to stay given the optimistic finish to the season. It's another trophy, and Wenger has now won the most amount of FA Cups out of any manager. The key is whether Wenger can work in a new set up having been used to almost total control for two decades. He has the budget and opportunity to make serious and positive changes, but it is hard to believe he has the gumption to manage it.

West Ham are the latest club to target Everton midfielder Ross Barkley. Slaven Bilic has been told he can match Barkley's £140,000-a-week wage demands, and there is also interest from both Spurs and Manchester United. The stumbling block for all clubs is that Everton want to receive £50m for any transfer, which is regarded as excessively high. Everton will replace Barkley with £35m-rated Gylfi Sigurdsson, who is at Swansea City.

Paper Round's view: Barkley has often shown his talent, the question is whether any manager is able to shape him into a player who can show it more consistently. If Koeman believes that it is worth jettisoning him for a player like Sigurdsson - himself inconsistent - then any other manager is taking a risk. Barkley has the potential to be brilliant, but players in Barkley's position are notoriously difficult transfers to make with any certainty.

Arsenal players have come out in support of Arsene Wenger's tenure at the club, despite their recent poor five seasons. Aaron Ramsey, who scored a late winner in the FA Cup, said: "Of course I want him to stay. He has been fantastic for me, fantastic for these players. He deserves this. He has changed the system and it has paid off so hopefully he’ll be here next season because he has earned it."

Paper Round's view: It is unsurprising that Wenger would be popular amongst many of his players, especially those like Ramsey. The Welshman is a perfectly good Premier League player, but one who has had extended periods of underperformance and occasional flashes of serious talent. Wenger is a manager who is happy to accommodate players who go through patches like that, so it is no wonder he is wanted by them. Others, like Alexis Sanchez, are clearly frustrated with the limited ambitions of the club.