Paper Round: Manchester City to smash British record fee for Paul Pogba

‘City to smash record to land Pogba’ – Manchester City are ready to smash the British transfer record to land Paul Pogba, according to a report in The Sun. The club will go head-to-head with Chelsea and Barcelona in a £60 million-plus fight to nab the Juventus ace. The Italian club are understood to be resigned to losing Pogba but City believe they are in pole position to land the player they see as the natural successor to veteran Yaya Toure. They have tracked him for months and are prepared to pay the star named best young player at last year’s World Cup finals a staggering £225,000 a week to return to Manchester.

Paper Round’s view: Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak promised that his club would go in all guns blazing in this summer’s market in a money-no-object campaign to sign Europe’s brightest stars, and this would be the perfect signal of serious intent. Juventus have made it known that two clubs – City and Barca – have made the first moves for Pogba, but that could just be posturing from agents when it comes down to the serious business. Jose Mourinho is reportedly a huge fan of Pogba, but if City are more prepared to drop big money on a deal then he could miss out.

‘Arsenal suffer big blow on Martinez’ - Colombia striker Jackson Martinez has agreed to join Milan, according to The Guardian, which represents a huge setback for Arsenal. Martinez was a serious transfer target for the Gunners, but Arsene Wenger looks set to be left very disappointed with the striker set for a medical next week after Milan agreed to pay his 35 million euros release clause. Wenger had been linked with a move for the 28-year-old, who has scored 67 league goals in his three seasons in Portugal.

Paper Round’s view: This story is based around quotes from Porto president Pinto Da Costa, who told Porto Canal:  “Before going on holiday Jackson announced he wanted to leave. I learned just now that Jackson has chosen Milan. This is what he wants, the destination is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. I want him to be happy.” By the sounds of it, Wenger really has lost out on the player that was believed to be his top summer target. Arsenal desperately need another frontline striker and now, it seems, Wenger will have to look elsewhere.

‘United to bid £40m to land Kane’ - Manchester United are ready to test Tottenham's resolve to keep Harry Kane with a £40million bid for the striker, according to a report in the Daily Mirror. United have made Spurs and England star Kane their top summer transfer target after Real Madrid declared Gareth Bale is staying at the Bernabeu. Kane has been on United boss Louis van Gaal's wanted list following his 31-goal heroics last season, but now the Reds are ready to make official their interest in the form of a bid.

Paper Round’s view: United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward knows the club need to land a marquee signing this summer and the 21-year-old Kane appears to have emerged as that player. But United clearly face a battle to land Kane, with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy renowned for his tough negotiating skills and refusal to budge from his valuation of players. It seems illogical for Levy to allow Kane to leave with his star only just rising, but with this kind of money being mentioned, it may prove hard to resist.

‘Carroll could return to Newcastle’ - West Ham would only consider a sale of Andy Carroll and not a loan if Newcastle United step up their interest in trying to sign their former striker, that’s according to a report in The Times. West Ham agreed a deal worth £15.5 million, plus £2 million in additional payments, with Liverpool. At the time, Newcastle, his boyhood club, were only prepared to pay about £10 million. But, with new boss Steve McClaren wanting to sign two strikers, Carroll is now being lined up for a move back to his home city.

Paper Round’s view: Carroll scored five times in 12 Barclays Premier League appearances in an injury-plagued second season at Upton Park, but has consistently been linked with a move back to Tyneside. That being said, the forward was handed a six-year deal, worth nearly £80,000 a week, when he moved to West Ham after an initial loan spell. Carroll has spoken in glowing terms about the arrival of new Hammers boss Slaven Bilic, saying it was a “great appointment” so it seems unlikely that he would want to move at this stage without knowing what the future may hold for him under a new coach.