Paper Round: Liverpool to move for City's Edin Dzeko

Liverpool want Dzeko - Edin Dzeko is Liverpool's latest striker target and the club will do everything to make sure that they land their man, per The Mail. Brendan Rodgers plans on selling Mairo Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini this summer and wants to bring in another striker to go along with Divock Origi, who is already set to join the Reds. Dzeko looks set to be that man with City likely to sell several players this summer, but it could cost them about £25 million. Dzeko would reportedly welcome a move to Anfield after becoming disillusioned with playing from the bench with City.

Paper Round's view - It's becoming increasingly clear that Liverpool aren't just going to add a striker, but a pretty high quality one. That will cost them more, but with Daniel Sturridge's injury woes and Origi's inexperience, they don't have much of a choice. £25 million is a lot of money, but strikers don't come cheap and Dzeko is a good player. He would make Liverpool better immediately. It's just a matter of whether the Reds want to allocate so much of their summer spending money on a frontman with so many problems at the back.

Milner will turn down City offer to sign with Arsenal, Liverpool - Manchester City are ready to offer James Milner a huge new contract, but the midfielder is going to turn it down. The Star claims that Milner will say no to a four-year deal that would pay him £165,000-per-week so he can sign with Arsenal or Liverpool. The Gunners are in the pole position to land Milner, who will be a free agent this summer - but whether he picks the Gunners or Reds, he's set for £125,000-per-week with a big signing-on fee.

Paper Round's view - City are showing that they want Milner back, but the club are set for a lot of change and want to get younger in the midfield. It would be understandable if he had some concerns about the Citizens' future and his place in it. That could have him looking for a place where he'll know who the manager will be for the foreseeable future and how they'll operate. Arsenal and Liverpool would both give him that and, if he gets a sizable signing-on fee, the wage cut may not matter.

Sterling to tell Rodgers he wants Liverpool exit - Raheem Sterling will make it clear to Brendan Rodgers that he wants to leave Liverpool. The BBC understands that Sterling is set to meet with Rodgers and chief executive Ian Ayre on Friday, where he will tell them that he wants to be sold. Sterling is unhappy with the current £90,000-per-week offer that Liverpool have made to him and is even more upset that the club leaked details of the negotiations. Manchester City are believed to be the favourites for his signature.

Paper Round's view - Liverpool aren't going to get Sterling at £90,000-per-week. With the market telling him that he's worth more than that, he has little reason to accept that offer and the contentious negotiations have probably eliminated any good will he had towards the club. There's no way he would accept less money to stay at Anfield now and it sounds like Liverpool are relying on him taking less. It's possible that Sterling signs a new deal for more money, but even that would probably come with a release clause that will allow him to leave in a year or two if he continues to see his value increase and a club is willing to pay up.

United give De Gea big offer as Real Madrid wait - Manchester United are doing all they can to keep David De Gea. The most recent move is to offer the goalkeeper a four-year deal with wage increases that would top out at £250,000-per-week by the fourth year, according to The Sun. The deal will also include a buyout clause that would allow De Gea to leave for Real Madrid in two years at a reasonable fee. The Red Devils are so desperate to keep the goalkeeper that they've even offered to keep Radamel Falcao until January, which would please Jorge Mendes, who represents both players.

Paper Round's view - £250,000-per-week for a goalkeeper sounds crazy, but Man United are going all-in to keep De Gea and it may take something like that to keep him from Real Madrid. With that offer on the table, Real Madrid would have to pay a huge transfer fee and match those incredible wages, which is unlikely. De Gea would probably have to take lower wages if he wants to return to Spain and, if that's the case, Man United were never going to keep the goalkeeper anyway.

Sinclair set to make Villa move permanent - Scott Sinclair has been enjoyed his loan spell at Aston Villa and now he's reportedly ready to make it permanent. Sinclair has just been waiting for Villa to secure their place in the Premier League for next year and now that relegation is no longer a possibility, The Express believes he has committed his future to the club. He's even gone as far as buying the home that he had been renting in Birmingham. Villa can buy him for £2.5 million and they're going to exercise that option.

Paper Round's view - Sinclair just needs to play. After so many years dealing with injuries, simply getting on the pitch is a big deal and he's been able to do just that at Aston Villa. Now he'll get to keep establishing his spot at the club and Tim Sherwood's style of play suits him well. At £2.5 million, Sinclair is a good signing for Villa and the only concern will be whether any more injuries crop up, as a couple minor ones have sidelined him of late.