Liverpool face tense battle with Chelsea for £110m midfielder Moises Caicedo - Paper Round
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Updated 12/08/2023 at 07:21 GMT
Liverpool will wait to see if Chelsea are able to afford Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, while Illan Meslier is one of three options for Real Madrid to replace Thibaut Courtois. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe could be frozen out at Parc des Princes, and Manchester City will have to improve their offer for West Ham's Lucas Paqueta.
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Liverpool won’t give up on Caicedo
The Mirror reports that Liverpool still hope to land Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, and they will wait to discover if Chelsea can afford the Ecuador international while also meeting their Financial Fair Play obligations.
The paper stated: “On a day of high drama as the Merseyside club had a British record transfer fee of £110m accepted by Brighton for the 21-year-old, some murky behind-the-scenes manoeuvres left Reds boss Jurgen Klopp feeling bitterly disappointed…and frustrated.
“The Mirror understands that Liverpool's bid for the Ecuador international only came after they received encouragement from the player’s camp, with the suggestion Caicedo would happily join the club if the offer was accepted.
“But it became ominously clear to the Anfield club there were problems, with his representatives eventually, and belatedly, making clear Chelsea was still the preferred destination…leaving the manager red-faced after being forced to field questions on the ‘signing’ in a scheduled weekly media conference.
“Liverpool though, are still prepared to wait to see the outcome of Chelsea’s attempts to prove to both FIFA and the Premier League that their avalanche of spending over the past eight months complies with Fair Play rules, and also the domestic league’s Profit and Sustainability regulations.”
Real weigh up ‘keeper options
Real Madrid have three options as they consider a replacement for Thibaut Courtois while he is out injured this season.
The Belgian suffered an ACL injury which left him facing a lengthy period on the sidelines.
The Sun reported: “Real Madrid are considering a shock move to sign Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
“The Frenchman has emerged as a potential transfer target to replace Thibaut Courtois.
“Real Madrid have also identified Kepa Arrizabalaga and David de Gea as options to replace Courtois.
“However, the Spanish giants would face competition to sign Kepa from Chelsea.
“Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel is keen on reuniting with the Spanish stopper and is chasing a loan-to-buy deal.”
Mbappe could be frozen out
Ahead of Euro 2024, there are reports that Kylian Mbappe has been told he will not play for Paris Saint-Germain if he does not sign fresh terms with the club.
Spanish newspaper Marca explains the consequences of running down his current deal, writing: “This summer's transfer saga involving Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain looks no closer to being resolved, with reports that the club has told the player he will not set foot on the pitch during the upcoming season should he stay at the Parc des Princes.
"Mbappe announced to PSG that he would not be renewing his contract which expires in a year, this allowing him to move on a free transfer to a club of his choosing.
“That prompted PSG to give the player an ultimatum; either sign a contract extension by the end of July or be sold this summer. Mbappe hasn't signed a new deal.
“As a result of the stand off, PSG have informed Mbappe that he will not play a single minute of football should he decide to stay with the club.”
West Ham want huge fee for Paqueta
The Telegraph reports that Manchester City may have to offer more than £90 million if they want to sign Lucas Paqueta from West Ham.
“Manchester City and West Ham are locked in talks over a deal for Lucas Paqueta and whether a fee can be agreed for the Brazil midfielder to be part of Pep Guardiola’s squad this season,” according to the paper.
“David Moyes, the West Ham manager, confirmed a bid for Paqueta from last season’s Treble-winners has been rejected. Landing a deal for the 25-year-old is expected to cost more than £90 million given the current market where Declan Rice was sold for £105 million to Arsenal.
“West Ham will face a battle to keep Paqueta, who they signed for £51 million from French club Lyon a year ago. He has an £85 million release clause active from next summer which could have a bearing on this window’s price.”
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