Football news, transfer rumours and gossip - No Premier League players to be forced back

The Telegraph reports that Premier League clubs will not force players back into action if they are not ready to compete, and if they feel it is unsafe to do so. League, government and biotechnology representatives talked with players today, along with managers earlier in the day. They confirmed that nobody would be forced to participate in Project Restart.

Paper Round’s view: The Bundesliga does indeed seem to be going ahead this weekend, and outside of carehomes in Britain there is some evidence to suggest that the infection rate is seriously reduced. But if players are unconvinced over the safety of the restart then there is little to be gained by forcing people into an unhappy and potentially dangerous situation.

Lewis Hamilton’s long rumoured move to Formula One team Ferrari appears to have been dashed for the foreseeable future, according to the Daily Mail. The 35-year-old Mercedes driver will likely stay with his current side as Ferrari will replace Sebastian Vettel with Spanish racer Carlos Sainz in 2021. Current Ferrari number two Charles Leclerc will then move into place as the number one driver.

Paper Round’s view: Lewis Hamilton is clearly the best driver at the moment but at 35 he is probably coming towards the end of his career. Leclerc showed huge potential for Ferrari so far and it makes sense to give him a run at leading the team because he will be cheaper, and also able to serve the team for the long term if he does prove his effectiveness.

RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner has drawn criticism from Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heniz Rumennigge after expressing his reluctance to move to the German champions. The Sun reports that the Bayern head said: "I’m actually no longer astonished at anything, but I have never seen a player make such a statement in response to rumours in public."

Paper Round’s view: Werner’s £52 million release clause makes him one of the more affordable players at the top end of European players. It is no surprise that many Premier League teams and Bayern want him, and it is also no surprise that the apparent rejection of Bayern has stung them, given how they are used to buying Bundesliga’s top talent.

Barcelona have been linked with a move for Juventus defender Mattia de Sciglio. The 27-year-old right-back came up in negotiations as a player who may be available in the summer, and the Spanish side could be in the market for a replacement for their current first-choice right back, Nelson Semedo, who has just a year left on his contract.

Paper Round’s view: At just 10 million euros, De Sciglio would be something of a bargain, and if they sell Semedo at a knockdown price due to his contract situation then they would ideally want to spend only a limited sum on his replacement. The financial impact of the coronavirus also means that even Barcelona will be hunting for bargains in the next transfer window.