Manchester United launches bold attempt to sign Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante – Paper Round

Manchester United have contacted N’Golo Kante’s advisers about a possible surprise transfer. According to the Mirror, the 29-year-old could be allowed to leave Chelsea “for the right offer” following the Blues’ summer spending spree of more than £ 200 million. Premier League rivals United are eager to add Kante to their midfield and bolster their defensive options after signing Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek this year. However, the Red Devils would need Kante to accept a pay cut to complete any deal. The World Cup winner currently earns £ 300,000 per week at Stamford Bridge. Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is also exploring the possibility of signing Kante for Inter Milan.

Paper Round’s opinion: It would be a dream signing for Manchester United fans, right? N’Golo Kante can do it all. The Frenchman has proven to be one of the best midfielders in world football since he became a household name during Leicester City’s Premier League winning season in 2015-16. He may be 29, but Kante would certainly bring vital balance to an offensive midfield, which features Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek. Adding Kante to that trio would give United one of the best midfielders in football, let alone in the Premier League. If a possible deal can be made, Ed Woodward should do everything he can to get over it.

On Manchester’s blue side, City are set to complete the signing of Portuguese central Ruben Dias from Benfica. Pep Guardiola’s team have been desperate to bring in a right-back all summer and Independiente are reporting that Dias will join for a £ 64 million fee, with 32-year-old Nicolas Otamendi returning to Portugal as part of the deal. The Premier League team failed to reach an agreement with Napoli over their starting center-back Kalidou Koulibaly and decided to sign Dias over Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. Manchester City are set to confirm the signing of the 23-year-old Portuguese international this week after a 5-2 humiliation at the hands of Leicester City on Sunday.

Paper Round’s opinion: Manchester City are desperate for some defensive reinforcements. Their loss to Leicester was the first time a Pep Guardiola team conceded five goals in a single match, but it is not just one game. City have looked vulnerable on defense since the departure of club captain Vincent Kompany in the summer of 2019. The problem could be a lack of leadership on defense, adding that 23-year-old Ruben Dias might not solve this problem. Guardiola now has five young centrals on his roster with Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Eric Garcia and John Stones. It’s a swollen area of ​​the team and the names involved except Laporte don’t really scream ‘Champions League winning defenders’.

Tottenham Hotspur is exploring the possibility of signing versatile Bournemouth forward Joshua King as the club’s search for a backup option for Harry Kane continues. The Telegraph reports that the Cherries would be willing to allow King to leave the South Coast “for the right price,” as he is currently in the final year of his contract. The option to sign the Norwegian international would appeal to Spurs, as Premier League clubs can still sign players from EFL clubs for 11 days after the summer transfer window deadline on October 5. Tottenham manager José Mourinho would prefer to sign a striker in construction. of an ‘objective man’, but King’s versatility of being able to play as a wide forward is an attractive trait for the north London club.

Paper Round’s opinion: Josh King would be a decent signing for the Spurs. He will likely be priced down due to the fact that his contract expires in June and Bournemouth is looking to cash in on some of its stars following their relegation to the Premier League in July. However, Mourinho seems quite interested in bringing in a different kind of forward. It’s all very well to sign a versatile player who can fill the wing like King, but Tottenham have plenty of options in those wide areas. Signing the 28-year-old would give them another player like Son Hueng-min or Lucas Moura, when it’s pretty clear that the manager wants something different. The Spurs should continue to scan the market for a target man, but use the extended transfer window in English to sign King if necessary after the European deadline.

Chelsea could jump in to take advantage of West Ham’s money troubles in a bid to bring former academy product Declan Rice back to Stamford Bridge, according to the Sun. The Hammers are reportedly “desperate” to transfer funds, and despite claiming that Rice is not for sale, co-owner David Sullivan admitted that the 21-year-old “is more depressed” over the lack of signings. Chelsea are set to launch a £ 40 million offer to test West Ham’s resolve as Blue boss Frank Lampard looks to add “the final piece to their puzzle”. The Sun also revealed that West Ham is interested in the possibility of signing Chelsea center-back Antonio Rudiger on loan.

Paper Round’s opinion: Declan Rice’s homecoming has been rumored for a while. It’s no secret that Frank Lampard is a huge fan of the England international. If Chelsea can complete a deal for £ 40 million, it would be significantly less than the rumored asking price of around £ 80 million a few months ago. Rice’s arrival at Stamford Bridge would have to mean that either N’Golo Kante or Jorginho would leave the club; otherwise, Lampard’s already bloated outfit would be an even bigger problem. Perhaps Chelsea could use West Ham’s interest in Rudiger or Ross Barkley to their advantage in negotiations, allowing the Blues to downsize their squad and sign their main target.