Man Utd lead chase for Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger as Real Madrid put off by £20m demand - Paper Round
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Updated 22/01/2022 at 12:45 GMT
Manchester United have emerged as surprise favourites for Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger as Real Madrid have been put off by his demands, and Donny van de Beek is likely to leave in the January transfer window, Meanwhile Mikel Arteta will be offered a contract extension, and Jill Scott could join Aston Villa on loan.
Antonio Rudiger applauds the home fans at Stamford Bridge following Chelsea's 2-0 win against Tottenham in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester United in pole position for Rudiger
The Sun reports that Manchester United are now leading the race for Chelsea’s German defender Antonio Rudiger. The 28-year-old rejected Chelsea’s £140,000-a-week offer and Real Madrid have also been put off by the player’s request for a £20 million signing-on fee. However, Manchester United’s Ralf Rangnick is keen and his £220,000 weekly salary is not immediately a problem.
Paper Round’s view: United have been generally unwilling to stump up transfer fees for players over the year, which sounds daft considering the huge sums they have actually spent. However wages are not a problem when it comes to agreeing terms for players, so Rudiger’s expectations do not seem a deal-breaker, and United need to replace Harry Maguire.
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Three clubs in for Van de Beek
Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek could soon be on his way from Old Trafford, according to a story in The Mirror. The 24-year-old Dutch player is wanted by Newcastle United but Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers have now joined the chase for the player, though United boss Rangnick is not keen to lose the player midway through the season.
Paper Round’s view: Van de Beek is clearly not happy with the situation at the club and his boss does not seem desperate to actually use him, so while Rangnick might have legitimate concerns about his squad depth, if United were more sensibly organised they would act to bring in another midfielder at least one loan and allow the Dutchman to move on to help his World Cup ambitions.
Arteta set to be offered new deal
Arsenal want to offer their manager Mikel Arteta a new two-year contract. His current deal is up in 2023, which The Daily Mail notes would mean he would be free to return to Manchester City when Pep Guardiola is scheduled to leave The Etihad. Any new contract would give the 39-year-old Spaniard a raise on his £5m wages, as the club are pleased with the manager’s progress.
Paper Round’s view: Arteta’s progress is not measured in the league, so far, as they have finished eighth two seasons in a row. But there can be no denying that he has built a younger squad and is on the way for a promising overhaul of the team, and it seems that with continued backing in the transfer market that Arteta could soon challenge for Champions League spots.
Scott set for Villa loan
Manchester City’s veteran Jill Scott is on the verge of a loan deal to Aston Villa, reports The Telegraph. The 34-year-old England international is keen to get minutes ahead of the Women’s European Championships, and after spending some of 2020/21 at former club Everton, she could move for the rest of the season to Villa in order to stand a chance of being picked by the national side.
Paper Round’s view: Scott has a wealth of international experience, having played 153 times for England and contributing 25 goals from midfielder, as well as making nine appearances for Great Britain. At 34 it appears that she is in decline as her chances at Manchester City have dwindled, but she can still offer plenty to a side like Aston Villa, at least in the short term.
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