Paper Round: Manchester City plan new Raheem Sterling contract

Manchester City are set to start contract talks with Raheem Sterling, according to The Sun. The 23-year-old’s current deal runs out in 2020 and there had been concern that discussions had not yet begun. However, City want to begin negotiations within the month to tie him down for the long term. Spanish club Real Madrid are ready to swoop if the England winger becomes available.

Paper Round’s view: Sterling has the talent to play at the top of the game, and he may one day be tempted away by another club. However, the huge wages, Premier League trophies and chance to play under one of - if not the - best managers in the world should probably be enough for him over the next few years. There is little reason for him to move elsewhere.

The Premier League are considering Tony Blair as chairman of the organisation, reports The Mail. He was one of the names mentioned despite having little interest or knowledge of the game. Others mentioned in the list to replace Richard Scudamore, who is stepping down later this year, were Gavin Patterson, the former head of BT, and Sky Sport’s Barney Francis, but the latter two may alienate other rights’ holders given their previous associations.

Paper Round’s view: Heading up the Premier League often seems like a task where you have to pursue the most amount of money possible, and gloss over any kind of moral objections when dealing with some of the richest people in the world. It is hard to see if that kind of role would suit Blair, especially after dealing with the governments of Kazakhstan and the United States of America.

Fresh from dislocating Mohamed Salah’s shoulder, Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos has taken apart another opponent, only this time off the pitch. Antoine Griezmann recently claimed he was eating at the same table as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, when talking of his talent. When quizzed on that assertion, Ramos told the press: "Ignorance is always bold."

Paper Round’s view: Ramos has always enjoyed playing up for the cameras and the press, and this is another example of him having a pop at a rival. Atletico have improved hugely under Diego Simeone and are credible title rivals to both Barcelona and Real this season. There are few people left in football who are willing to be zesty or funny in public and Ramos will be missed when he finally retires.

A Uruguayan investor in Sunderland has said he has a three-year plan to return the club to the Premier League. Following Stewart Donald’s purchase of the club, Juan Sartori followed up a failed attempt to takeover Oxford United buy agreeing to take a 20% stake in the North East outfit. Sartori said: “We have a plan which is a two to three-year plan which is very aggressive and is actually working pretty well.”

Paper Round’s view: Sartori and Donald have a club with a huge amount of potential. The ground is huge, and they should have the ticket revenues to support life in the Premier League if they can get back into the top flight. The key is to make sure they do it on an affordable budget as they attempt back-to-back promotions, which is no easy task given the competition in the Championship.