Real Madrid ready to sell Mariano Diaz without telling him - Paper Round

Real Madrid are ready to trim their squad by sending Mariano Diaz away on loan. The 27-year-old striker has been offered up to Portuguese side Benfica, reports Spanish newspaper Marca, though he has not yet been given the chance to weigh up the move. Benfica will be able to exercise an option to buy the player at the end of next season.

Paper Round’s view: Diaz is a perfectly decent striker but with Karim Benzema ahead of him and plenty of other forwards at Real Madrid, it seems hard to see how he will ever get regular game time. He might consider Benfica a step down but it would enable him to play regularly which, at 27, he will need to do to make the most of the remaining years of his career.

Brighton, Leeds and Aston Villa are all ready to battle for Rico Henry, according to the Sun. The 23-year-old left-sided player, who can fill in at left-back and further up the pitch, missed out on promotion with his current side Brentford. That has led the three Premier League sides to weigh up a move for a player who impressed in the play-off final recently.

Paper Round’s view: Brentford have an excellent record of talent-spotting and of developing younger players, though they have yet to turn that track record into a promotion to the Premier League. That failure will see bigger clubs come by to pick off their most talented players and at the same time, make their attempts to finally get into the top flight even harder.

Matty Cash is another player wanted from the Championship by Aston Villa. The Telegraph claims that they will face competition from Fulham, as well as Sheffield United, in the race for the 23-year-old right-sided player. He has played on the wing but spent much of the season with Nottingham Forest at right-back, where he has impressed. Villa hope to get him for £12 million but Forest are asking for £15 million.

Paper Round’s view: In the time of coronavirus many big clubs are wary of spending given the financial impact of the pandemic. Other clubs further down the league can pick up players that will still improve their squad for a lot less money than the very best, and so the focus on the Championship is not necessarily something that those in the top half can do.

Randy Frankel, co-owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, could be on the way to rescue Wigan Athletic. The club are facing administration but the Daily Mail says Frankel could lead a takeover to the tune of £4 million in order to prevent the League One side going under. Former Rays vice president Michael Kalt could also be involved.

Paper Round’s view: Of course, the American owners of Liverpool have ultimately proved to be hugely successful but the same can’t be said of the experiences of Manchester United, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Derby County and other teams who have US owners. Arsenal, too, are struggling. There is plenty for the prospective new owners to prove though fans will be desperate for anyone at this point.