Paper Round: Manchester United want Bernardo Silva to join Antoine Griezmann

The Sun reports that Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United will launch a £70 million offensive for Monaco’s Bernardo Silva this summer.

According to the newspaper, United will scrap it out with Real Madrid, who are also hoping to catch the 22-year-old midfielder’s eye. Mourinho hopes his Portuguese compatriot will join Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann at Old Trafford.

Silva is considered one of the rising stars in the Portugal international side, but missed out on a place in the team’s victorious turn in France last summer thanks to injury.

Paper Round’s view: Represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes, which might just give Mourinho the edge in negotiations since he shares the same agent, the 22 year old could apparently function as a playmaker to bolster the work of Griezmann should he wind up at Old Trafford. Neither of these outcomes seem implausible.

[Read the full story here]

***

Former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has said that his old team-mate Daniel Sturridge will have “big decisions to make” if he remains Jurgen Klopp’s third choice up front.

Speaking fondly of Sturridge, Gerrard said he “loved” playing with him, but with only eight starts for Liverpool this season, Gerard said he wouldn’t “want to be a bit-part player.”

Speaking to BT Sport, Gerrard said: “He’ll [Sturridge] have to make maybe a big decision [at the end of the season] but if you’re Jurgen Klopp you want to keep him because on his day he’s world class."

Paper Round’s view: Sturridge has had a big decision to make for a while and it’s not going to get any easier if Liverpool finish in the top four this season with a place in the Champions League next year. Realistically, the only way is down for Sturridge right now – having already played for Manchester City and Chelsea, and with recurring injury problems.

Nonetheless, Sturridge could make a huge impact for a smaller Premier League club and surely that would be preferable to another miserable season on the bench, but perhaps he would consider the likes of West Ham beneath him (and you could hardly blame him). Failing that there is always the not insignificant lure of *whispers* MLS.

[Read the full story here]

***

The Sun reports that Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s truce with Chelsea hinges on reopening contract negotiations. According to the newspaper, Costa’s return to training with the first team coincided with a decision by the club to resume talks about a pay rise. He probably isn't going to end up with the £300,000-per week he wants, however. No, he’s a reasonable man – it’ll cost Chelsea £225k per week to keep him sweet, according to Thursday’s reports.

Paper Round’s view: *whistles slowly through teeth* £225,000 per week, you say? Well, it’s considerably less than the £290k per week Paul Pogba is reported to earn. It’s more than Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal (though these salaries are not without contention, as Arsenal are currently learning in their own contract negotiations). Crucially, it is more than Eden Hazard’s reported £220,000 per week, and if you were Diego Costa, you might well feel that was justified.

[Read the full story here]

***

Dan Evans’ shock victory over world no.7 Marin Cilic in the Australian Open second round on Wednesday, features highly in Thursday’s papers.

Not only did the 26-year-old Brit pull off a stunning coup – his first ever Grand Slam success against a top-10 player, but he did it just as Nike ended their professional relationship with him.

Evans revealed after the match that he’d been dropped by the renowned brand so had picked up a £19.99 t-shirt for the occasion.

Paper Round’s view: It seems a bit silly to get bogged down in silly fluff about the clothes Evans was wearing, given this is quite the result for him. But… who can resist a classic “triumph over adversity” sporting tale?

It’s like Cool Runnings. It could be about to get more entertaining, as Wednesday's result came after beating Dominic Thiem in Sydney last week, and coming close to embarrassing eventual winner Stan Wawrinka at Flushing Meadows in September.

Can he beat third round opponent Bernard Tomic? Anything is possible.

[Read the full story here]