Paper Round: Eden Hazard wants to win Ballon d'Or, but not at Chelsea

The Sun reports on Thursday that Eden Hazard is rumoured to be ready to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in a bid to become the "best player in the world."

Hazard is quoted as having said: "My plan is to win the title with Chelsea... After which I want to sign for Real Madrid and win the Ballon d'Or."

Simples, right?

Paper Round’s view: Though we're not convinced Hazard is quite ready to challenge for the Ballon d'Or, if he was looking to move on from Stamford Bridge, now could be as good a time as any.

His fortunes have turned around quickly, since Chelsea's annus horribilis last year, and Hazard has been on great form - he'd no doubt attract plenty of interest right now. Chelsea may not wish to part with him, but with no new contract in sight, according to Hazard, they may not be so lucky.

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Pep Guardiola has looked to silence reports that he hoped to sign PFA Young Player of the Year Dele Alli from Tottenham this summer.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the speculation, Guardiola is quoted by the Mirror as saying: "Mauricio Pochettino has to stay calm - Dele Alli will be his player next season.

"He is a fantastic player, good, new, English footballer. He's a fighter. He's good. He's someone who attacks the box and is one of the most fantastic players I have ever seen in my life.

"But Manchester City doesn't want Dele Alli."

Paper Round’s view: Guardiola should be so lucky... why would Alli want to go to the Etihad, given he's likely to finish in a better position in the league with Spurs? Oh yeah... Well, money isn't everything, though in fairness SPurs have yet to actually win wnything.

Guardiola has a bigger, defensive fish to fry this summer, we suspect, and while Alli would be a great signing, no doubt, we can't imagine this is the priority. As for Alli himself, we're actually daring to believe Spurs could be on the cusp of greatness it would make sense to stay put for now.

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John Terry's former Chelsea team-mate Gus Poyet has said he hopes the 36-year-old will consider a move to China after he moves on from Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Chelsea veteran defender has spent 22 years with the club but recently announced his intention to move on, sparking fierce speculation about his next move and has been linked with clubs in and outside the Premier League, including in China.

Shanghai Shenua boss Poyet said: "It;s a difficult decision [for Terry] whether to stay in ENgland or go abroad. I would like him not to play in the Premier League for another club...maybe I'm a little bit selfish."

Paper Round’s view: We can't quite put our finger on why, but we've never really taken the stories about John Terry's much-rumoured departure to the Chinese Super League very seriously - it just didn't seem like a great fit. The MLS in the US always seemed far more likely, somehow.

That said, Terry will certainly be able to command a good wage in the CSL, which might be appealing with his Premier League gravy train coming to an end. And with Poyet looking to poach him, not to mention former manager Andre Villas Boas - who manages Poyet's Shanghai rivals SIPG - on the prowl, Terry may have a number of potential suitors.

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic's former Manchester United team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger has issued what looks like invitation to the 35-year-old striker to join him in the US' MLS.

Ibrahimovic was contracted to United until the end of the season with the option to extend for one year, but having suffered "significant" ligament damage to his knee in the second-leg of the club's Europa League quarter-final, he could now be out for up to a year, effectively ending his time at Old Trafford.

Speaking to Sport1, Schweinsteiger said: "Players like him are very important in a league like MLS.

"He's very professional and gives you a lot of quality on the field."

Paper Round's view: It's highly unlikely that Ibrahimovic will return to the Premier League now. Though one of the league's top scorers this season with 17 goals, and something like the Benjamin Button of football, Ibrahimovic will be pushing 37 by the time he recovers from injury.

For us mere mortals, it might be hard to understand the motivation to continue, Ibrahimovic would be an attractive option for the MLS and for Ibrahimovic, you suspect he would prefer to leave the game on his own terms.