Bakayoko wants Milan stay
Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko wants to stay at AC Milan when his loan spell ends, claims the Independent. The former Monaco player struggled in his first season at Stamford Bridge, under Antonio Conte, and moved to Italy for the 2018/9 season. After a poor start he has started to impress and said: “Who wouldn’t want to stay at a club like AC Milan for a long time? But I still have three years left on my contract at Chelsea and I do not control all the elements.”
Zielinski, Bakayoko - Milan-Napoli - Serie A 2018/2019 - Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
Paper Round’s view: Given Sarri’s trouble with Chelsea’s squad - familiar problems of players appearing to lack enthusiasm for their manager’s plan - there is little point counting on any player being needed next season. Bakayoko showed at Monaco and now in Italy that he can be an excellent player, but whether he will be more use back in London or for future transfer funds is impossible to say.
United aim to tie Rashford down to new deal
Manchester United are in talks with striker Marcus Rashford over doubling his wages and extending his current deal. His contract is set to end in 2020 but there is an option for the club to extend that by a further year, in order to keep him away from Real Madrid. However, United want to sort a new contract now and will offer to treble his wages to £200,000 a week for the long term, report the Sun.
Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester United at The King Power Stadium.
Image credit: Eurosport
Paper Round’s view: Rashford’s recent improvement under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has shown just how much potential the player has, and it is worth getting him to sign a new deal to preserve his resale value at the very least. What is not yet clear is if Rashford will be able to make the most of his talent - he spent two seasons drifting under Jose Mourinho and he must take at least some of the blame for that.
Bailly assured of United future
Manchester United central defender Eric Bailly has been assured that he features in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team plans. The 24-year-old player has barely featured under the new manager and had been linked with moves to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in the winter transfer window. However, Solskjaer is considering using him in the Champions League game against PSG, reports the Sun.
Valencia's Spanish coach Marcelino Garcia Toral (R) and Manchester United's Ivorian defender Eric Bailly react following the Champions League group H football match between Manchester United and Valencia at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England,
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Paper Round’s view: Bailly has an eye for the ball when tackling, but he is prone to rushing in when not necessary, and his passing is poor compared to the required standard of the very best defenders. He has time to improve, though, but the problem is both he and Victor Lindelof would both benefit from a more experienced player next to them.
Liverpool eye £61m Insigne
Liverpool are set to bid £61million for Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne, reports the Mirror. After a frustrating 1-1 draw with West Ham where their fabled front three failed to fire, manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his options.However, the initial offer has been rebuffed, with the Italian club slapping a £131m price on their prize asset.
Lorenzo Insigne of Italy looks on during a training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on February 4, 2019 in Florence, Italy.
Image credit: Getty Images
Paper Round’s view: It would take some player to break into Liverpool's attacking trident. However, watching them against West Ham showed that the could do with mixing it up a bit when required so more options seem prudent, especially when competing on multiple fronts.
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