Paper Round: Manchester United prepare £70m Alex Sandro bid

According to a report in the Sunday People, Manchester United are prepared to bid £70m for Juventus' defender Alex Sandro. The 27-year-old Brazil international is currently on £145,000 a week, and United would offer to double his wages if he were to make the move. The transfer would not mean the end of Luke Shaw's time at Old Trafford, as Jose Mourinho remains keen on retaining the England international.

Paper Round's view: It is hard to think that if Sandro arrived on almost £300,000 a week and for £70m that United's board would suggest that they keep Shaw. It seems likeliest that they would sell Shaw to Spurs in order to recoup some funds and reduce the wage bill. There's no doubt that United would be getting a currently superior player, though, even if it would be another huge wage to add to a ballooning salary cost.

Liverpool are confident of signing Stoke goalkeeper, Jack Butland, for £40m this summer. The 24-year-old England international could be Gareth Southgate's first choice at the World Cup in Russia this summer, and Liverpool rate his experience in the Premier League. They are set to bid £40m for the player, which would make him the most expensive goalkeeper in the world, notably beating the £30m paid for Jordan Pickford and £34m for Ederson.

Paper Round's view: Butland's experience would mean that there was less of a risk taken in bringing him into the club, one that has traditionally struggled for decent goalkeepers since the Premier League started. Butland is already a better player than Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius. Karius has improved of late, but Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp regards Butland as a significant improvement.

Real Madrid are considering their goalkeeping options for the summer. Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United's David de Gea are still under consideration, but transfer fees of around 100 million euros have Real looking elsewhere. Real recently abandoned efforts to sign Athletic Bilbao's Kepa, and are considering a move for Hadjuk Split keeper Karlo Letica, who has been in superb form in the Croatian league this year.

Paper Round's view: Bringing in Letica would be a huge saving compared to the outlay needed for Courtois or De Gea, and would give them the chance to spend more of their money on an outfield player. It is rumoured that some or all of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will be replaced in the summer, so the more they can save elsewhere, the better for their rebuilding plans.

Less than a year after signing a new contract at Manchester United, Jesse Lingard is already in line for a new deal. Lingard has 13 goals already, and after meeting some of the targets in his existing contract, he is due to be given a raise from £75,000 a week to £100,000 a week. The 25-year-old England international signed a new deal just 11 months ago, and his form has seen him emerge as a Jose Mourinho favourite.

Paper Round's view: Lingard seems to be that rare thing at Old Trafford, a player willing to use sheer hard work to improve himself and to offer something to the team. When Paul Pogba is struggling to make an impact, his friend Lingard has shown the importance of graft and hard work on the pitch. The raise sees him well down the list of United's top earners, but it is well deserved on his recent performances.