Paper Round: Arsenal target £50m Timo Werner

Arsenal are the latest club to join the race for RB Leipzig’s stiker Timo Wenger. The 21-year-old German international has rejected a new contract to stay with RB, and is attracting interest not just from Arsenal, but Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool as well. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are also tracking the forward, and any club would have to pay a fee of around £50m.

Paper Round’s view: Werner is a rare thing, a young, promising player with international and European experience, available at a reasonable price. £50m for a top club is no longer prohibitive, and his regular goalscoring will make him attractive to any side in the Premier League. Given his age, there is plenty of time for him to improve over the long term, too.

Werner is not the only player that Wenger has his eye on. The Arsenal boss may return to Lyon to sign Alexandre Lacazette’s old teammate, Nabil Fekir. The French winger is enjoying another fine season after recovering from a serious knee injury, and would be a suitable replacement for Alexis Sanchez on either wing. Lyon, however, do not want to sell. Wenger is also keen on signing Jonny Evans for around £25m in the summer transfer, too.

Paper Round’s view: Fekir is one of the most exciting attacking talents in France, and at 24 is ready to step up a level to a bigger European club. With the World Cup approaching, Wenger may have to splash out a larger sum than £45m, rather than take the risk that he performs well at the World Cup in Russia and commands an even greater fee. Fekir might want to wait and see if he can get any better offers.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is already making plans to improve his club’s midfield. The club are continuing to monitor Nice midfielder Jean-Micheal Seri. The 26-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder is available in the summer with a £33m release clause. He had been rumoured to be interesting both United and Manchester City over the winter transfer, and almost joined Barcelona last summer.

Paper Round’s view: Nemanja Matic’s form has tailed off along with the rest of United’s side, and Ander Herrera has disappointed throughout the first half of the season. As Michael Carrick is set to retire, and Marouane Fellaini could leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, an energetic midfielder to provide defensive cover could be what Paul Pogba needs to rediscover his form.

Liverpool are considering a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama. Wanyama has been used only occasionally since his recovery from a knee injury, mainly as a substitute. That has attracted Liverpool, who are looking for potential replacements for Emre Can, rumoured to be joining Juventus this summer on a free transfer. Chelsea and Manchester United are also scouting the 26-year-old Kenyan international.

Paper Round’s view: If Spurs continue to succeed under Mauricio Pochettino, then it is unlikely that he would want to leave, or that his current club would countenance selling him. However, the wage ceiling at Spurs means that any player is vulnerable to a larger offer from elsewhere, and Daniel Levy may listen to suitable offers for anyone merely at the fringes of first team action.