Manchester United offer Cristiano Ronaldo a way out of Old Trafford for a season - Paper Round
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Updated 24/07/2022 at 08:55 GMT
Manchester United may allow Cristiano Ronaldo to leave for a season if he returns for an extra year at Old Trafford, while they are considering a move for Inter Milan's right wing-back Denzel Dumfries. Elsewhere, Chelsea could let Romelu Lukaku extend his loan deal, and Neymar could be open to leaving PSG.
Ten Hag still unsure whether Ronaldo will remain at Man Utd
Manchester United give Ronaldo a way out
Manchester United have put forward a proposal to Cristiano Ronaldo to let him leave. They would ask the 37-year-old to extend his contract by another year, and then would allow him to join another team for a season-long loan. That would let him continue playing in the Champions League, while retaining him for another year in the hopes United were back in the tournament.
Paper Round’s view: Given Ronaldo’s inability to find a new club is because nobody can afford to take him on, a loan might offer more flexibility. No or a low loan fee would mean that clubs could focus on paying his huge wages, and for a single season that might seem like a one-off outlay. Ronaldo has not rejected the offer yet, according to the Mirror, so it could be a viable compromise.
United want Dumfries
Manchester United are moving on in the transfer market and The Sun reports that they could have Denzel Dumfries in their sights. The 26-year-old right wing-back could be a solution to allow Erik ten Hag to play five at the back, but a move depends on Aaron Wan-Bissaka leaving. Roma are said to be keen but he could also be sent back on loan to Crystal Palace.
Paper Round’s view: Dumfries is a more attacking player than Wan-Bissaka, who is excellent in one-on-ones but is unable to offer anything going forward, and who appears unable to properly grasp the positioning requirements of a modern right-sided defender. Dumfries might cost north of £30 million but that would stop United’s right flank being a dead end.
Chelsea ready to extend Lukaku loan
Chelsea are prepared to extend Romelu Lukaku’s stay at Inter Milan. Lukaku spent a year with Inter before he was granted a return, with the 29-year-old striker joining on loan for a £7 million fee. The Telegraph reports that Chelsea would be open to extending that deal for a further year on similar terms if it suits everyone for a player who cost £97.5m last summer.
Paper Round’s view: Lukaku has now put in several years of underperformance in the Premier League. His decline began at Manchester United and his success at Inter suggests that he has already peaked. Regardless, even if he no longer has the ability to cut it in the most demanding league, he appears to be an effective striker and much happier player in Italy.
PSG open to Neymar exit
Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Paris Saint-Germain are content to see Neymar leave this summer. New coach Christophe Galtier said of the situation: "I spoke about his situation at a press conference. After what will happen in the near future, when the transfer window closes, I don't know.” Neymar himself would like to stay but is open to a departure if offered.
Paper Round’s view: The difficulty for Neymar and PSG is that he is on huge wages, and for PSG that is no longer good value with the form the Brazilian is in. For the 30-year-old striker, he cannot find a club that offers the same glamour and money as his current side, so appealing to him may require that he is offered even more cash as compensation for a less exciting outfit.
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