Chelsea offer Manchester United tempting route out of £10m Cristiano Ronaldo contract – Paper Round

Chelsea could help Man Utd’s Ronaldo problem

Manchester United will have to pay Cristiano Ronaldo nearly £10 million if they want to terminate his contract. The Sun state that the 37-year-old is owed that figure in basic wages for the remainder of his current deal, which runs until June. The club could attempt to reduce that fee if they find out Ronaldo’s refusal to come off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur was in breach of his contract. However, the Sun also reveal that Chelsea could offer an interesting opportunity as the Blues owner Todd Boehly is open to negotiating a deal to sign Ronaldo from their Premier League rivals.

Paper Round’s view: Boehly was reported to be keen on signing Ronaldo back in the summer and there were rumours of an argument between the owner and then-manager Thomas Tuchel around the potential transfer. It’s unclear whether current boss Graham Potter would want Ronaldo in his squad, but it’s undeniable that Chelsea could do with adding goals to their squad. Ronaldo would be a huge risk, but he would probably arrive without a transfer fee, meaning it would be £10 million for a six-month contract. Is it worth taking a punt on the veteran forward? Maybe. It could pay off and would be an incredible story if it was a success.

European giants battle for Moukoko

Liverpool are reportedly leading the race to sign Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko. The 17-year-old, who has already broken into the first team at the Bundesliga club, is approaching the end of his current contract with Dortmund and is set to become a free agent next summer. The Mail report that Liverpool are best placed to snap up the youngster, but face fierce competition from European giants, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Paper Round’s view: Moukoko has been lauded as a huge talent in the Borussia Dortmund set-up for a few years now. It would be devastating for the German club to lose him for free so they will be desperate to negotiate a feasible contract extension if possible. If he leaves next summer, he will have the pick of Europe’s top clubs to join. Former Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp will be keen to bring him to Anfield and you can’t blame him. It would be a superb signing for Liverpool, but they will face plenty of competition. Moukoko should join a club where he is most likely to get more minutes to help aid his development.

Man City target ‘Kvaradona’

Manchester City are plotting a move for Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia next summer, according to Spanish media outlet Sport. Kvaratskhelia was only signed by the Serie A side last summer, but he has already taken the league by storm and produced some spectacular performances in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola is reportedly looking to add some quality on the wings at Manchester City and is a big fan of the 21-year-old.

Paper Round’s view: There’s a reason why he’s been nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ in Naples. Kvaratskhelia has been nothing short of sensational since his arrival in Italy. Napoli were the club to take a punt on this relatively-unknown Georgian player who had been playing at Rubin Kazan before Russia invaded Ukraine. Kvaratskhelia was allowed to leave Kazan and returned to Georgia before signing for Napoli. The Italian club will most likely demand a huge fee for the superstar winger – but we all know Manchester City have plenty of money. The Premier League would be welcoming a true footballing entertainer if he were to move to Manchester next summer.

The return of Wan-Bissaka

Aaron Wan-Bissaka could complete a shock return to Crystal Palace to end his nightmare spell at Manchester United. The Sun report that the 24-year-old is “not part of Erik ten Hag’s plans for the season” and Crystal Palace officials are considering the opportunity to bring their academy graduate back home next summer. United would be willing to let Wan-Bissaka leave Old Trafford either permanently or on loan as long as the Red Devils sign a replacement back-up right-back.

Paper Round’s view: This is a move that would probably make sense for both parties. Unfortunately, things just haven’t worked out for Wan-Bissaka at Manchester United. The young defender was sold for a club-record transfer fee of £45 million in 2019. However, he has failed to push on at Old Trafford and now he is struggling to get any minutes. Wan-Bissaka needs to rediscover his confidence on the pitch and get some game time. A return to home comforts could be the perfect solution for him. Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne both feature at right-back for Patrick Vieira’s side, so an in-form Wan-Bissaka would definitely be a solid upgrade.