Paper Round: Big Sam targets world superstar, Real Madrid contact Hazard

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a Champions League match against Real Madrid last night but wakes up on Thursday morning to see himself linked with a move to the team sat 10th in the Premier League: Everton. Aubameyang is expected to leave at the end of the season following a number of rows and Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested. But Everton could be a surprise option, according to the Mirror…

Paper Round’s view: It’s ambitious of Everton to target a player like Aubameyang. But then it was ambitious to target a manager like Diego Simeone and they ended up with Big Sam. Ambition is fine, but realism must have a place too. If Chelsea or Liverpool make a move then Goodison won’t be top of the list…

Real Madrid are thought to be ramping up their attempts to sign Chelsea’s superstar forward Eden Hazard. According to the Daily Mail, coach Zinedine Zidane and president Florentino Perez have both been in contact with the Belgian after he decided to delay signing a new contract worth £300,000 per week at Stamford Bridge.

Paper Round’s view: Madrid is the natural move for Hazard at this stage. If he continues his current form until the end of the season then there will be a good argument that, like Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale before him, he will have outgrown the Premier League. He needs to be at one of the Spanish big boys sooner rather than later.

Tottenham left-back Danny Rose appears to be heading for the exit door in a hurry and events on Wednesday night have only helped to firm up that view. Rose was substituted against APOEL after receiving a nasty cut to the eye but looked unhappy with Mauricio Pochettino, whom he snubbed. The Sun think this is a bad omen.

Paper Round’s view: There are enough warning signs about Rose’s time at Tottenham without having to manufacture a bit of controversy over a substitution…

Anyone expecting a clear-out of highly-paid substitutes at Arsenal will be disappointed this morning. In his press conference ahead of the Europa League match against BATE, Wenger said that the likes of Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere will not be allowed to leave in January. “You do not want to become weaker,” he said. “I have to consider the interest of the player. But dominant of that will be the interests of the club. If you can combine the two it is even better but first is what is important for the club.”

Paper Round’s view: With Arsenal still competing on four fronts this is probably a sensible move. Although Paper Round would suggest that Giroud and Wilshere are more useful options than Walcott, who hasn’t even played 50 minutes in the league this season. If Arsenal can extract a good price from a desperate Everton or West Ham for the winger, they should do it.