Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal prepare for Antoine Griezmann transfer battle – Paper Round

A host of Premier League giants have been alerted to the availability of Barcelona’s failure Antoine Griezmann following Lionel Messi’s decision to stay at Camp Nou for next season. According to the Sun, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are interested in seeking a potential transfer of £ 108 million to the World Cup winner, which could be sacrificed to raise funds for the transfer. New Barça manager Ronald Koeman is likely to use young Ansu Fati and Frenchman Ousmane Dembele as a supporting cast for Messi, as well as bringing in Dutch Memphis Depay from Lyon to improve his attack line. This would mean that Griezmann is forced to leave Barcelona to reinforce the Catalan club’s defensive areas.

Paper Round’s opinion: Forcing Griezmann to leave Barcelona would be very tough, but it is a solid fundraising plan. However, will any of the Premier League clubs mentioned actually spend more than £ 100 million on a player turning 30 next season? If Manchester United is spending that much money on a superstar it will be Jadon Sancho, Arsenal don’t have that kind of cash and are already pretty well supplied in the attacking areas and where would Griezmann fit in in Liverpool? Roberto Firmino already fulfills that role on Jurgen Klopp’s side and his German coach has already ruled out any big money signings this summer. Griezmann could be stuck in Barcelona for the next campaign …

Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin could be leaving North London this summer, and the Telegraph reports that Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen have surprisingly joined in the pursuit of the 25-year-old. Bellerin has been linked to a move away from the Emirates, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus following the defender. However, now Leverkusen are ready to jump to the front of the queue, even though they only compete in the Europa League. The German club has just received 85 million euros from the sale of Kai Havertz to Chelsea and has prioritized a right-back in its transfer plans. Peter Bosz has identified Tottenham Hotspur’s Serge Aurier as an alternative if they cannot complete a deal for Bellerin.

Paper Round’s opinion: Bellerin to Bayer Leverkusen would be a very surprising move. No offense to the Bundesliga club, but the proposed transfer would be a step backwards for the Spanish international. It would not be a surprise to see Bellerin leave Arsenal this summer, but he is expected to move to a club that plays in the Champions League. The Gunners defender has struggled with injuries in recent years, but still has the quality to play at the highest level and the interest of PSG and Juventus backs him up. If he were to leave Arsenal, the Premier League team would want a decent fee of around £ 40 million to finance their search for the midfielder duo Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar.

Bournemouth forward Callum Wilson is set to return to the Premier League with a move to Newcastle, according to the Mail. The Three Lions international dropped from England’s top flight with the Cherries last season but quickly attracted interest from numerous Premier League clubs. Newcastle received a £ 20 million offer accepted by Bournemouth and Aston Villa withdrew from the race despite submitting a £ 21 million offer, due to Wilson’s desire to join the Magpies. The 28-year-old forward will complete his move to St James’ Park once he has agreed on personal terms with Steve Bruce’s team.

Paper Round’s opinion: Fair play for Newcastle – It looks like Wilson will be a great signing. £ 20 million in today’s market is a pretty good rate for a proven Premier League striker, who is also an England international. There was no way Wilson was going to spend a season in the Championship. Despite being part of a relegated Bournemouth last season, you know he’s good enough to play at the top flight and has a history of scoring goals in the Premier League. Newcastle have lacked a genuine goal threat since their promotion in 2016-17 and Wilson could be the answer to their problems.

England could be ready for seven first-team changes for their next UEFA Nations League game against Denmark on Tuesday, according to the Mirror. Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has acknowledged that many of his team are not fit for games, with many of the players joining the international team straight from their summer vacation. A change to a 3-4-3 system is likely, a formation being considered for next summer’s European Championship, which could see England debut for Jack Grealish, Conor Coady and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Nick Pope, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mason Greenwood and Tyrone Mings also hope to be in the starting eleven after a 1-0 win over Iceland on Saturday.

Paper Round’s opinion: It’s no wonder Southgate wants to make some changes after Saturday’s win against Iceland. England were boring throughout and were lucky enough to walk away with all three points, thanks to Birkir Bjarnason taking a penalty at the end of the crossbar. Obviously, your team’s fitness may be the main reason behind most of the changes, but it gives new players a chance to prove themselves and give their coach something to think about before the next Euro Cup. summer. Changing the system to 3-4-3 will be interesting and could definitely suit England with their wingers and the attacking threat of the team.