Paper Round: New twist in Mats Hummels saga

Paper Round: New twist in Mats Hummels saga

With four Premier League teams interested in Mats Hummels, the defender has been forced to speak about his future, plus the rest of the day's news.

Hummels blow for Premier League teams: Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has reiterated his desire to stay at Signal Iduna Park, seemingly putting to bed any chances of him joining a Premier League team, according to the Daily Star. The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in recent months, but the centre-half has dealt the Premier League managers a blow by insisting that he is happy playing for a struggling Dortmund. "Fundamentally, I don't need to play in the Champions League to be happy. Maybe we indeed lose players should we not qualify for Champions League, but what I can already tell you is that should we not lose 15 players at once, we'll still have a super team next season,” Hummels said.

 Paper round’s view: In what has been one of the more tiresome transfer sagas in recent years, Paper Round will breathe a sigh of relief when this is finally put to bed – one way or the other. Despite Dortmund languishing in the Bundesliga’s bottom three, Hummels refuses to give anything away regarding his future despite intense speculation linking him with a move away from the Westfalonstadion. The World Cup winner’s presence in the Premier League would be a huge treat, but his reluctance to leave Dortmund may see fans of English football left disappointed. 

 United slap £50m price tag on De Gea: Manchester United have placed a world-record £50 million valuation on goalkeeper David De Gea in a big to fend off Real Madrid’s growing interest, according to the Express. As well as fending off the interest of the Spanish giants, United manager Louis van Gaal is also keen on tying down De Gea to an extended contract at Old Trafford and will reportedly offer the stopper a £200,000-per-week, five-year deal worth around £52m. The Express claim that, whilst De Gea is United’s top priority, the keeper is likely to wait until the summer to decide on his long-term future. 

Paper round’s view: Madrid-born De Gea claims that he is happy at Old Trafford amid a reports linking him with a move to the Spanish capital. Real Madrid’s current No. 1, Iker Casillas, is coming to the end of his career and it is expected that De Gea will replace his compatriot in between the sticks at the Santiago Bernabeu – whenever that may be. If De Gea rejects a deal that will surely be put to him in the summer, United will need to cash in on the 24-year-old, whose contract expires in 2016. 

 Leverkusen to offer Soldado Spurs escape: Tottenham Hotspur flop Roberto Soldado looks set to be offered a way out of his White Hart Lane nightmare with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly interested in securing his signature, according to the Mirror. The Spaniard has struggled in north London since his move in the summer of 2013. “The Germans have lined up the misfiring Spaniard - a huge flop since his £26million move from Valencia 18 months ago - as a replacement for their own forward, Josip Drmic, who wants to leave,” the report says. Paper round’s view: Soldado has really struggled to replicate anything like the form he displayed during his time with Valencia, and seems to be suffering a crisis of form and confidence for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. The 29-year-old has netted just 15 goals for Spurs during his tie at White Hart Lane – and just four this season. Soldado’s last goal came seven games ago and after two successive horror performances, which included a quite unbelievable miss from point-blank range against Burnley, the Spaniard may look for a move to reignite his career.

  United want Pique return after Savic snub: Manchester United are set to step up their interest in Barcelona’s Gerard Pique after failing to sign Fiorentina’s Stefan Savic, report the Express. Louis van Gaal’s United – along with Tottenham – were linked with a move for former Man City defender Savic over the summer and were reportedly set to renew their interest before the winter transfer window closes. But, according to the Express, the Montenegro international has quashed any possibility of him leaving the Serie A side by signing a new deal. And now, United boss Van Gaal is preparing a £15m bid to bring Pique back to United. Paper round’s view: After a nightmare first stint in England in which he flopped at the Etihad Stadium, Savic may be right to turn down the chance of an England return and stay in Italy where he has quickly become a hit with the Fiorentina faithful. Gerard Pique, however, has worked his way back into the Barcelona starting XI after an early-season exile. The Spaniard’s long-term future at the Camp Nou is uncertain so the defender could be interested in a move back to the Premier League and to play for a manager whom he’s dealt with on two separate occasions in the past.