Manchester City 'want £100m for Bayern Munich target Gabriel Jesus'

Manchester City are contemplating selling Gabriel Jesus to Bayern Munich, according to the Sun. The paper reports that with Sergio Aguero into his thirties, City are reluctant to let him go.

However, he does have a price, with the club only willing to entertain bids of £100 million or more, because he has only started four league games so far this season.

Paper Round's view: Jesus is only 22 and has years of improvement ahead of him. Given he has already settled in the Premier League and in England, it is a risk to let a player of his quality go. £100 million would be enough to find a replacement, but even then there would be no guarantee of replacing him with someone who would do anywhere near as well.

Unai Emery has taken another step in what seems to be a plan to force Mesut Ozil out of the club. He told the press that leaving him out of the first team is a strategy agreed by those above him at the club, not just a decision he took as manager. The Telegraph reports Emery as saying: “Previously we were all speaking between us to take that decision. I know all the supporters want to know something [more] but now is not the moment.”

Paper Round's view: After recent stories suggesting that Ozil is refusing to move on from Arsenal because he is waiting to see if Emery is sacked, this would suggest that at the very least the Spaniard is getting in some retaliation. If it’s true, it seems that Ozil has no way back at Arsenal even if a new coach comes in later in the season or for the start of next.

The Mail on Sunday reports that Real Madrid are struggling to get rid of Gareth Bale. Real Madrid are considering offering Bale as part of a deal to sign Paul Pogba from Manchester United, and are prepared to let him go in January. However United are reluctant to entertain the move because, having seen Bastian Schweinsteiger and Alexis Sanchez fail at Old Trafford, they do not want to take any more players who could be well past their best.

Paper Round's view: The only sensible way to sign Bale is to do so on loan. That way they don’t have to risk any big transfer fee to bring him to United, and if he suffers a major injury then he can be returned to Spain. It seems that United have finally learned the lesson about chasing players who are only willing to join them on the way down.

Manchester United are ready to back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the transfer market, according to a report in the Sunday Mirror. Ed Woodward is prepared to spend £125 million to sign Thomas Muller (30) from Bayern Munich and Kai Havertz (20) from Bayer Leverkusen.

Muller is seen as an alternative to Mario Mandzukic while Havertz strengthens the club’s midfield.

Paper Round's view: It would be tough to prise Havertz from Leverkusen in January, but a bid of £85 million is rumoured to be enough. The difference between signing 30-year-old Muller and Bale is that Muller’s effectiveness does not rely on any explosive pace, and United need someone with experience to give Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood an older player to learn from.