David de Gea's Manchester United future 'still in doubt'

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea could still leave the club, even if he remains at Old Trafford once the transfer window shuts. The Mirror reports that talks are yet to be completed on a new contract despite the club believing that a £350,000-a-week deal can be agreed. If he does not sign a new deal he will be free to talk to foreign clubs in January, and leave for nothing next summer.

Paper Round’s view: De Gea, despite a poor finish to last season, remains one of the very best goalkeepers in the world and the very best shotstopper. Ahead of him is Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, and Jesse Lingard. He is in a squad that is nowhere near his own abilities and looks far from ever winning another trophy. Even if he were offered double the wages he wants, he could be forgiven for going elsewhere.

Frank Lampard is already preparing for the end of Chelsea’s transfer ban, according to the Sun newspaper. The new boss at Stamford Bridge saw Christian Pulisic arrive, but there were no new names. One player he has his eye on is Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell, who is rated at £70 million, as a replacement for Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso. There is a chance that the ban could be lifted in time for, or for the duration of, the January transfer window.

Paper Round’s view: Chilwell is one of the best young English talents, but there is no guarantee that he will make the switch. Leicester City were in no hurry to sell Harry Maguire, and only did so once they received a world record bid from Manchester United. Chelsea would probably have to do the same for a player who has just as much talent.

The Daily Mail carries a report that suggests that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been instructed to prioritise the Champions League and Premier League this season. The club’s owners recognise that with the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA World Club Cup, there will be little resources for the FA Cup and League Cup, so Klopp will be expected to field weakened teams in those two competitions.

Paper Round’s view: Klopp has already lost his first choice goalkeeper, Alisson, for an unspecified amount of time, so if the injuries start piling up then he will certainly have to take his eye off some of the lesser competitions. Liverpool have a number of younger squad players who could use games, so the domestic cups could help him develop some players to become involved when the season intensifies.

The Telegraph reveals some of the details that led Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac to miss Newcastle’s upcoming game against Newcastle. The police recently arrested Ferhat Ercan and Salaman Ekinci outside Ozil’s house after a confrontation with security, and that is just one incident which means that the club wants to keep them out of the public eye.

Paper Round’s view: There is little use speculating about the motives about the two men, given they are yet to be found guilty or otherwise. However it does appear that whatever caused the attack on Ozil and Kolasinac weeks ago is yet to be resolved, so the absence of the players from first team action could be prolonged.