Erik ten Hag makes Jude Bellingham top transfer target for Manchester United despite Liverpool and Real Madrid interest

Man Utd in for Bellingham… again

Manchester United are ready to revive their interest in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham next summer, according to the Mirror. The Premier League club missed out on signing Bellingham when he swapped Birmingham City for Germany in 2020. However, United boss Erik ten Hag has made the £100 million-rated teenager his “top transfer target” ahead of the summer window. Manchester United face competition from Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid so they will have to qualify for next season’s Champions League to have a chance of signing the 19-year-old.

Paper Round’s view: Bellingham is going to be the story of the summer transfer window. Like his former team-mate Erling Haaland last year, every top club wants to sign him. The England international will have his choice of Europe’s elite and it’s going to be a huge decision for Bellingham. It’s important to remember that he is still only 19 years old. The wonderkid needs to be smart and pick a club that suits his playing style and where he will continue to play first-team football to continue his rapid development.

The battle for Jorginho

Barcelona and AC Milan are ready to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Chelsea midfielder Jorginho next summer. The Italian is rapidly approaching the end of his current contract at Stamford Bridge and is very unlikely to extend his stay in west London. According to Spanish media outlet Sport, Barca and Milan are currently “best positioned” for Jorginho, who will be able to open negotiations with foreign clubs from January ahead of a transfer as a free agent in the summer. The report states that the deciding factor could come down to salary demands, which would favour Juventus due to Barca’s limited wage budget.

Paper Round’s view: Barcelona have made it their transfer strategy to take advantage of the free agency market in recent years. It’s a smart move – especially due to their precarious financial position – but you do face serious competition for top players and it can also end up unbalancing your wage structure. Milan hold the advantage with their finances, but also offer Jorginho a route back to Italy. This could be vital in negotiations. However, at the end of the day, Jorginho should just go where he is offered more minutes and the opportunity of winning silverware.

What next for Zakaria?

Denis Zakaria’s Chelsea debut has launched a new debate over his future, with the Standard reporting that it could end with a permanent move to west London. The 25-year-old midfielder joined Chelsea on loan from Juventus on Deadline Day but failed to feature until Wednesday night. His appearance means that he will now remain with the Blues for the rest of the season. He cannot move on loan to another club and Juventus do not wish to recall him. Zakaria has an option-to-buy clause in his contract with Chelsea, meaning the Premier League side can purchase him permanently for £25 million next summer.

Paper Round’s view: It’s been a bit of a strange year for Zakaria. The Swiss star joined Juventus from Borussia Monchengladbach in January and made an instant impact, scoring on his debut. However, it seemed like he was surplus to requirements in Turin and ended up moving to Chelsea in September. Thomas Tuchel – the manager who signed him – was sacked by the Blues a week later. Now Zakaria needs to win over Graham Potter in a bid to secure a permanent move away from Juventus. Whether it’s a transfer to Chelsea – or just convincing Potter that he deserves more game time and impressing a potential suitor ahead of the summer window, it’s going to be a big six months for Zakaria.

Southgate’s staying quiet at half-time

The FA have rejected a request from FIFA asking whether manager Gareth Southgate could be made available for half-time interviews during England’s World Cup matches this winter. FIFA are keen for all 32 nations to ramp up their media commitments to make more content available for broadcast partners. However, Southgate and FA executives agreed that half-time interviews would “create an unwanted distraction”. The Mail report that a number of managers, including France’s Didier Deschamps, have agreed to make themselves available.

Paper Round’s view: It’s very American and does not feel like something that has been entertained in the British culture just yet so it’s no surprise that the FA immediately rejected the proposal from FIFA. There are so many different media commitments in football now, so there’s not really much need for more. Southgate will be thinking about his half-time team talk and getting a strong message across to his squad so he would not want to have to complicate his routine.