Arsenal keen 'to force Mesut Ozil out of club'

Arsenal manager Unai Emery is facing an almost impossible task to sell Mesut Ozil, reports the Sun. He has just £40 million this transfer window after failing to qualify for the Champions League this season, and has to raise funds to replace Petr Cech, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey. One way to do that is to sell the 30-year-old German playmaker, but few could afford the £30 million fee and his £350,000-a-week wages.

Paper Round’s view: Ozil was kept because the club could not face the social pressure that would have come with losing both him and Alexis Sanchez in the same season, but it appears they would have done better to get rid of them both. As for Ozil’s future, the best Arsenal can hope is to involve him in the side rather than waste time trying to get rid of him, until a Chinese or MLS side is able to take him on.

Manchester United will have to pay up for Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, according to the Daily Mail. The 21-year-old defender is still wanted by his current club, and they have rejected United’s first bid of £40 million. They want £70 million, with the player keen on a move to Old Trafford. United’s plan B should the move fall through is to bring in Kieran Trippier from Spurs.

Paper Round’s view: Trippier would be an improvement on Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia, but that is hardly a great thing to say about a player. If he is cheap and content to move, that’s one thing, but United have fallen so very far behind the top four clubs that bringing in mediocre players just because they are available would do little to improve their prospects.

The Mirror believes that Frank Lampard will soon take over as manager from Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea. Sarri is due to join Juventus after the two clubs agreed a compensation deal for the manager. That would leave the role free for Lampard. Chelsea are ready to offer Derby County their youth players on loan to help facilitate the move.

Paper Round’s view: Derby came close to promotion, but with many of their on-loan players set to depart this summer, Chelsea’s offer of promising young players for the coming season could be more useful to them than retaining Lampard. As for the former Chelsea midfielder, he appears to be one of the more intelligent managers in the Championship, and could help steady the ship at Stamford Bridge.

The Daily Star reports that Dejan Lovren is close to leaving Liverpool this summer with a move planned to AC Milan. The 29-year-old Croatian has been an underwhelming performer for the club since he joined from Southampton, and has now lost his place to both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip. The paper mentions that Lovren is in Italy to seal the deal, with a potential transfer fee of £25 million.

Paper Round's view: Lovren has given Liverpool plenty of games, but he never convinced at the back - indeed, it was his former defensive partner Jose Fonte who was the superior player. Liverpool could raise funds by sending him on his way as the club look to add to their squad to better challenge for the Premier League next season.