Paper Round: Abramovich is ready to splash the cash for £25m Burnley centre-back
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Updated 27/09/2016 at 06:26 GMT
Chelsea want Michael Keane to solve their defensive woes, while Arnold Palmer is remembered and Team Sky offer their TUE defence. It's Tuesday's Paper Round.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich after the game
Image credit: Reuters
Chelsea target £25m-rated Keane
Antonio Conte has pinpointed Burnley centre-back Michael Keane as the player to solve the Blues' defensive woes, according to the Mirror. Chelsea's back-line has been shambolic at times this season and Roman Abramovich is reportedly willing to pay up to £25m for Keane, who left Manchester United for just £2m in 2015 before excelling with the Clarets en-route to the Premier League.
Paper Round's view: There's a lot of convenient timing around this transfer rumour. Chelsea have just put in their worst defensive display for many years, while Keane bagged a goal against Watford to catch the eye of those who might not have noticed his defensive qualities. But, nevertheless, it's a link that does make sense. Keane seems to be a real talent, there's a dearth of quality in his position in England (so any player showing a hint of promise will be sold for a premium), and Chelsea are simply crying out for defensive reinforcements.
The Blues aren't the only side in need of some added quality at the back though, with the club who sold Keane less than two years ago definitely among those who could do with a talented, home-grown central defender among their number. Quite what United's transfer decisions have been based on over the last few seasons is anybody's guess, but right now it's Burnley who are the major beneficiaries of that error of judgement.
Love III: Let's win Ryder Cup for Arnie
America's Ryder Cup captain hopes to deliver a performance fitting of 'The King' this week at Hazeltine - reports the Telegraph. Davis Love III spoke candidly about how his team were "crushed" emotionally by the passing of all-time golfing great Arnold Palmer this week, and Love's opposite number, Darren Clarke, echoed the sentiment, saying:
You know, it sort of puts into perspective a lot of things, but our sport wouldn't be where it is without Mr. Palmer.
Paper Round's view: The Ryder Cup doesn't need any added context to make it important in its own right - this is, after all, the one event in golf that truly catches the attention of the world. But Palmer's passing will add a gravitas and emotion to this week's competition and hopefully all involved will manage to deliver a match-up that Arnie himself would have been proud of.
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Golfing world and Obama pay tribute to Palmer
Brailsford mounts Team Sky defence
The chief of Team Sky says that the team have done nothing wrong with their use of Therapeutic Use Exemptions - reports the Guardian. Bradley Wiggins's TUE injections in 2011, 2012 and 2013 have been among the most contentious following the 'Fancy Bears' data leak, but Brailsford told reporters that Team Sky always operated within the rules of the sport:
There’s a rider, there’s a doctor. They agree to visit a consultant. The consultant’s report is pretty categorical in saying there is an issue here and I recommend the following medication," Brailsford told the Guardian. "That then goes to the anti-doping authorities. They say yes, we agree with this. Or they can say no. There are different steps to this process that should give us confidence. I believe in that process. I still do.
Paper Round's view: When a team are as dominant in cycling as Team Sky have been it's inevitable that there will be those who doubt the legality of the methods, particularly given the context of the sport's past.
But that doesn't make the doubters right.
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Team Sky have cheated, and this TUE issue - as worthy of discussion as it is - raises nothing other than evidence of the team operating within the rules of their sport.
Whether those TUE rules should exist seems to be the issue many have. But say you scrap the confidentiality element of using these drugs for authorised medical reasons - what then? Injections for asthma and hay-fever aren't particularly embarrassing, but there are plenty of reasons why an athlete may need a TUE that justifies discretion to protect their privacy.
The whole subject is a grey area, admittedly, but then that's the entire point of this leak, isn't it? It's designed to start a discussion about the morality and legality of the actions of athletes who have acted entirely within the rules, muddying the waters at a time when the focus should be on athletes who are operating outside of the legal parameters of sport, not within them.
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