Manchester United to make transfer decision between Frenkie De Jong and Jude Bellingham – Paper Round

Man Utd’s midfield conundrum

Manchester United have not given up on the possibility of signing Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, despite the Dutchman rejecting their transfer approach in the summer. The Independent reveal that the Premier League side are still in contact with Barca and will be forced to make a decision on whether they want to resurrect the De Jong deal or go all out to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. The England international is the subject of interest from the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid. However, United believe a strong season could push them to the front of the race. De Jong is viewed as an alternative, but United boss Erik ten Hag still believes the Barcelona star is the “ideal midfielder for his system”.

Paper Round’s view: It feels like United won’t be forced to make a decision until next summer. It’s very likely that Bellingham will leave Dortmund at the end of the season, and he will have his pick of clubs to join. United are a huge club, but it really depends on whether they qualify for next season’s Champions League. And the same goes for Liverpool after their poor start to the season. Real Madrid are probably best placed right now to sign Bellingham. It might turn into another summer of Manchester United and Ten Hag trying to convince De Jong to move to Old Trafford… but it could be successful if they have a promising season and the Dutch midfielder struggles for game time in Spain.

Martinelli ‘not even close’ to Arsenal extension

Arsenal will be forced to treble the salary of Gabriel Martinelli if the club wish to tie the young Brazilian down to a new contract, according to the Mail. The 21-year-old’s current deal is set to expire in 2024, but the Gunners have made it a “priority” to extend his contract in north London. Martinelli is currently earning around £70,000 per week but will demand parity with some of the highest earners at the club, which would mean offering him a deal worth closer to £200,00 per week. The youngster has publicly revealed his desire to stay and the two parties have already entered negotiations.

Paper Round’s view: Mikel Arteta is building something special at Arsenal, but the Gunners need to tie down their promising youngsters. Bukayo Saka and Martinelli are two examples of wonderkids who need to be given contract extensions at the north London club. Obviously the pair are going to command huge salaries, but it is worth it. £200,000 is probably a touch too much, but Martinelli clearly holds all the power right now. The Brazilian has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season.

Toney to be rewarded with new deal

Brentford are hoping to tie Ivan Toney down to a new contract at the west London club, according to the Mirror. The 26-year-old has not signed an extension since moving to Brentford back in 2020 and his current deal runs until 2025. However, the Bees are ready to reward Toney with an improved contract – worth more than £100,000 per week – following his recent call-up to the senior England squad. The deal is likely to include a “hefty but not prohibitive” release clause amid interest from rival Premier League clubs, including Manchester United.

Paper Round’s view: It’s surprising that Toney has not received a bumper new contract since arriving at Brentford. The club’s star striker scored 33 goals, helping the Bees secure promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. Toney has proven himself as a top-flight forward and Brentford will definitely benefit from tying him down to a new deal. It will deter interest from rival clubs and will also probably give him a morale boost. The new contract will also mean that Brentford are in a strong position to demand a huge transfer fee if he were to leave the club in future.

England prepared to defy FIFA at World Cup

The Telegraph report that England are prepared to “go head-to-head” with FIFA at the 2022 World Cup if they are banned from wearing the ‘OneLove’ captain’s armband. The FA have joined nine other European nations by taking the decision to wear the anti-discrimination armband at the tournament in Qatar. The Telegraph state that England are ready to pay any FIFA fines sent their way if the armband is banned from being worn at the World Cup.

Paper Round’s view: Obviously it is currently unconfirmed whether FIFA are going to ban the OneLove armband or not, but it is a strong stance from England and the FA ahead of any potential decision. The gesture is supposed to be one that sends a strong message of unity on the biggest stage of football. It will certainly raise questions if FIFA decide to refuse to allow captains to wear it at the World Cup in Qatar next month.