Jude Bellingham favours Real Madrid move, Liverpool consider Enzo Fernandez swoop – Paper Round

Real lead race for Bellingham

Real Madrid have targeted Jude Bellingham and are ready to meet the 100 million euro asking price, according to Spanish newspaper Marca. The 19-year-old England midfielder was one of the standout players at the World Cup and Borussia Dortmund are willing to sell, with the player keen on joining Real. Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested, but Jurgen Klopp is also looking at Enzo Fernandez.

Paper Round’s view: Klopp desperately needs a new midfielder as Thiago is clearly their best midfielder, but joined when he was the wrong side of 30. If they want to get back to the top of Europe then they need to invest. Real, however, are already there and appear to be planning well for the exits of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the coming seasons, and are focusing on young replacements.

PSG eye United midfielder Fred

Paris Saint-Germain are keen on signing Manchester United’s midfielder Fred. The 29-year-old has a year to run on his current deal after it was extended by the club, and he could be sold for around £30m. The Brazilian international is behind Christian Eriksen and Casemiro in the pecking order, and could be moved on at the end of the season, so United will not sell PSG Marcus Rashford, reports the Sun.

Paper Round’s view: Fred is simply not good enough for United. In a better team, with more effective players around him, then as a willing runner and defensive shield he would do an adequate job in a squad. That might work at PSG, but Erik ten Hag needs to raise the bar in every part of the pitch for United to get close to challenging Manchester City once more.

Laporta open to Messi return

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is willing to see Lionel Messi return to the club if he leaves Paris Saint-Germain, according to the Mirror. The 35-year-old forward is out of contract at the end of the season and Laporta said: “We have had him here and I am convinced that in his heart he is a Culé and will always be linked to Barça. Whether or not he comes back as a player, at the moment he is at PSG and we would very much like him to come back one day, but we’ll see.”

Paper Round’s view: Messi now has the World Cup on his resume, the last remaining major title that he needed to complete his collection. With nothing left to do, he may be open to an emotional reunion with Barcelona, but it is not clear if they can afford him. Another option to staying at PSG would be a switch to MLS for a huge payday, with Inter Miami keen on the player.

Forest plan more transfers in January

After signing 23 players in the summer transfer window, Nottingham Forest are looking at more for the January window, reports the Daily Mail. They are keen on Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. The 29-year-old is out of favour under manager Frank Lampard, and Forest manager Steve Cooper is also taking a look at Bournemouth’s Jefferson Lerma and Union Berlin’s Sheraldo Becker.

Paper Round’s view: Forest’s transfer strategy is faintly ludicrous and adding yet more players to the mix is no guarantee of success. However the club have decided to stick with Cooper and if they get some quality players through the door then perhaps they are doing so while anticipating relegation this season, and making another attempt at promotion in the near future.