Football news - Paper Round: Chelsea close in on £35m Paredes, Fellaini close to United exit

Chelsea look set to capture Leandro Paredes from Russian side Zenit St Petersburg. The 24-year-old midfielder is favourite to join the London club, says the Daily Star, after missing out on Nicolo Barella. Cagliari expect to keep the Italian until the summer, meaning the Argentine midfielder should complete a move from Zenit in the transfer window as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas.

Paper Round’s view: Chelsea need a midfield playmaker to replace Fabregas following his move to Monaco. However, there is no urgency to find a player to fit in this instant, and Jorginho is likely to remain the first choice for Maurizio Sarri. A transfer now allows Paredes the chance to settle in ahead of a more demanding campaign next season.

Leicester City could bring back one of football’s most versatile and impressive thinkers, according to a report in the Sun. Celtic’s manager Brendan Rodgers could soon be back in the Premier League, after impressing in Scotland following his time in Liverpool. The manager is being lined up as a replacement for Claude Puel, who is struggling to escape mediocrity at the King Power stadium.

Paper Round’s view: Rodgers is one of the most expansive and progressive minds to emerge from British football. At Celtic he has done well to entertain but a resurgent Rangers are making life difficult. He has limited resources at his disposal, and may see the chance to move back to the Premier League as too good to turn down. It would be an opportunity to demonstrate his unique approach to the game.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first decision in the transfer market could be to let Marouane Fellaini leave. The Belgian midfielder signed a new deal with the club under Jose Mourinho but has failed to make an impression under the caretaker boss. With 18 months left on his current deal, a sale to AC Milan, Porto or Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande for £15 million would give Solskjaer the money to reinvest.

Paper Round’s view: Selling Fellaini would make good business sense. At 31, there is little point paying him to sit on the bench or feature only occasionally. £15 million, however, would only go so far for United in the winter transfer window. Solskjaer is unlikely to be able to bring in any targets from his Molde days, and Ed Woodward has failed with almost every transfer made under his own steam.

Arsenal could pay Mesut Ozil’s wages in order to ease his exit from the club. If Unai Emery does not wish to keep the player, report the Mirror, then the club could subsidise his wages to facilitate a move away. The £350,000 a week that the 30-year-old German receives might be picked up in part in order to allow him to join a Chinese side or Inter Milan on loan.

Paper Round’s view: Ozil has found it hard to justify a regular place at Arsenal for a couple of years now, and with Aaron Ramsey also likely to leave, this is a chance for Emery to shape the squad to his own preferences. Inter Milan would do well to pick him up on the cheap if Arsenal will pay down some of his wages, but it does seem as if the playmaker will struggle to re-launch his career.