Man Utd target Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Frenkie de Jong transfers for summer – Paper Round

Manchester United draw up transfer shortlist

Speculation is already suggesting that Scott McTominay and Fred will both leave the club this summer, meaning there is room for additional players in the middle of the park.

“Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has drawn up a three-man shortlist for the summer transfer window as he bids to boost his options in midfield,” the paper writes.

“Ten Hag has enjoyed a successful first season in the Old Trafford dugout, winning the Carabao Cup and guiding the Red Devils to a likely top three spot. The Dutchman began his overhaul of the United squad with five permanent signings in the summer transfer window.

“That started a refresh of their midfield, with both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen arriving in Manchester. But Ten Hag is set to make the position a priority again in the upcoming window, with Declan Rice, Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham all being eyed.”

Leicester eye Maguire loan

Brendan Rodgers wants to bring Harry Maguire back to Leicester City from Manchester United. The England international is struggling to get game time ahead of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez at Old Trafford, and a year back at the King Power Stadium may give him chance to rediscover his best form.

“The Manchester United centre-back faces limited game time in the run-in both at home and abroad after returning to Old Trafford from England duty.

“Now Brendan Rodgers is keen to take him back to the Foxes, where he was a massive hero.

“Leicester will always be a lure for Maguire, 30, who left with the club’s blessing — with both sides making the exit one of the most dignified going.

“Rodgers thinks he would be a huge capture and can sort out a defence that still leaks goals alarmingly — the main reason they fear the drop.

“The Leicester boss has looked at other targets like Odilon Kossounou at Bayer Leverkusen but an eye-catching loan for the United star would top that.”

Everton loan covenant could spell disaster

Premier League side Everton could face ruin, with a loan of £150 million callable if they are relegated. That could leave them unable to continue, or to face punishment by the Championship for failing to meet financial requirements.

“If Everton fall out of England’s top division, administration could loom as well as a punishment if they are found to have breached the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

“The loan, extended from £100m to £150m by the club’s owner Farhad Moshiri last season, is repayable in 2027. But relegation would lead to a potential immediate demand for the money, as revealed in Everton’s 2021-22 financial accounts published on Friday.

“The loan agreement includes ‘a covenant that assumes the club will remain in the Premier League, therefore the board have had to consider the scenario of relegation and the availability of these facilities in that scenario.”

Premier League clubs concern over potential new Super League

Some Premier League teams are concerned that a new Fifa Club World Cup could essentially be transformed into a new Super League.

The last time these plans were more explicitly discussed during the Covid-19 pandemic, outrage forced the clubs to abandon plans, but FIFA may now have their own ideas.

“Fifa agreed plans for the new competition at its congress in Rwanda this March, and although the governing body has announced 12 Uefa qualification places in the competition, it has not said definitively how those places might be earned. At the Premier League shareholders’ meeting on Thursday in London, clubs asked for the details on FCWC qualification in Europe.

“Thus far Fifa has said that it will be the four Champions League winners in the four years leading up to 2025 – with Chelsea and Real Madrid already assured of a place – and then the top eight-ranked clubs excluding those already qualified. There will be a cap of two clubs per country unless that country has more than two Champions League winners in the four-year period.”