Man Utd plan £25m transfer for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, Liverpool eye ‘Ukrainian Neymar’ – Paper Round

Man Utd want Ramos

Paper Round’s view: Do Benfica not know the rule? When United are involved, clubs always seem to up their asking price, so to see a £25m fee next to a player who has started the season in red-hot form is a surprise to say the least – especially when Liverpool paid Benfica a club record for Darwin Nunez not too long ago.

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Liverpool keen on Mudryk

Paper Round’s view: Mudryk perhaps wisely said he was not ready to move to the Premier League earlier in the year, and that is a big decision to make given the money that would have likely been on offer. That appears to have paid off, for now, given his exploits in the Champions League, but it is not surprising to see more clubs next to his name – Liverpool won’t be the last.

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Asensio to Barcelona?

Paper Round’s view: Options are difficult if you are at one major Spanish club and thinking of moving elsewhere within the country. Unless you are making the step down, it basically means crossing a divide. Just look how it turned out for Luis Figo, and is even playing out now after Antoine Griezmann returned to Atletico Madrid from Barca… It would be a big move for Asensio, but arguably not a bad one for all parties.

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Premier League’s ‘New Deal for Football’

Paper Round’s view: The plans are yet to be finalised, it is important to stress, but no doubt the lower tiers will read everything diligently when presented with the Premier League’s ideas. They would right to be sceptical about any proposals, but so long as financial backing can remain, the prospect of deeper League Cup runs may entice clubs lower down the ladder.