Paper Round: Diego Costa kicked out of Chelsea squad and set for China

Diego Costa could be another player set for a big-money transfer to China. Costa has been reportedly excluded from the squad for Chelsea's match against Leicester. According to a story in the Telegraph, Costa has not trained with the squad for three days after a row with a fitness coach, and Antonio Conte is supposed to have said 'go to China', aware of Costa being offered £30 million a year to make the move. Tianjin Quanjian are in the market for a striker, and would make him almost as well paid as Carlos Tevez. They could bid around £80 million for the player.

Paper Round's view: Costa came back unfit after winning the Premier League under Jose Mourinho, and has now apparently fallen out with a second manager at Chelsea over his fitness. Given his form this season, integral to Chelsea's success, it is hard to imagine that they will not attempt to patch things up for half a year more, given he almost departed before the season started. Costa almost left in the summer to return to Atletico Madrid, so we can assume he isn't wedded to staying in England. If he really has been offered £30 million a year, after taxes, then it is more than understandable that he would try to turn any argument into a transfer to China.

A West Ham source in the Sun has claimed that Dimitri Payet said he would invent an injury in order not to play for the club again, if they did not allow him to leave the club. The source is quoted as saying, ''And he added that if the club didn’t let him go he would never kick a ball for them again and would invent an injury.” The paper also reports that Payet phoned in sick yesterday, and was not at home when a club doctor tried to visit him.

Paper Round's view: Payet isn't going to be remembered well at West Ham with this behaviour. To fake an injury and then to disappear when a doctor tries to visit is obviously very unprofessional. On the other hand, as the Costa row shows above, there is an increasing tension between clubs and players when it comes to transfers. It is now so difficult to force a player to honour his contract, given the willingness of a player to follow his desires in any way he can. Perhaps there needs to be a new, less antagonistic way for players and clubs to deal with this kind of situation.

In the Mirror, Mourinho has claimed that Manchester United are a bigger club than Liverpool. Mourinho said before the match, "I know that Manchester United is the biggest club in this country. I know. You know. Everybody knows. I’m sorry. It’s easy to know. I can feel the rivalry is big and, for sure, it’s a big match. Around the world, people will look to this match with special eyes, that’s for sure.” United have won nine matches in a row since a disappointing start to the season.

Paper Round's view: Mourinho is correct that United are the biggest club in the country. It depends on which way you look at it, though. They might be the most famous, but they are possibly less rich than Chelsea or Manchester City. They haven't won the league as recently as either, and Liverpool have finished higher in the league in the last few seasons. United have the most league titles, Liverpool the most European Cups. Ineffably, though, it is clear that United have the most glamorous name in the country. Does it matter? Only if you like having interminable arguments with strangers on the internet.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reacted positively to the defeat to Southampton in the League Cup, ahead of his side's match against Manchester United. He said, quoted in the Star, "What could I fear? At this moment, anything is possible. It could be that United are not at their best level on Sunday, just nobody knows about it yet."

Paper Round's view: Klopp would and should say little else. Only David Moyes would admit fear before a match, and instead Klopp will be trying to give his side confidence ahead of their match against their biggest rivals. Liverpool are without a win in three matches, will need to go to Old Trafford full of confidence against a United side that has started to hit its stride.