Liverpool quoted £45m for Bournemouth left-back, Man Utd’s Liam Delap boost after Ipswich comments – Paper Round
ByTNT Sports
Published 01/04/2025 at 00:38 GMT+1
Tuesday’s Paper Round leads on Liverpool’s interest in Milos Kerkez, with Bournemouth putting at £45m price tag of the defender. Elsewhere, Manchester United have received a boost in their pursuit of Liam Delap, Chelsea will renew their interest in a Barcelona defender, while The Blues also have new plans to sign a new goalkeeper with the current crop set to do battle this summer.
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Bournemouth have set a £45 million price tag on Milos Kerkez amid Liverpool’s interest in signing the left-back, The Times reports.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed an impressive season but is expected to move on this summer. Kerkez has three years remaining on his contract, with Bournemouth seeking a straight cash deal given they have no interest in including Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher as part of the transfer.
The Times adds: “Kerkez, who has scored two goals and provided six assists as an attacking full-back for Andoni Iraola’s team, is one of Liverpool’s options if they want to add competition for Andy Robertson, 31, and Konstantinos Tsimikas, 28.
“He was signed from AZ Alkmaar for £15.5m two years ago by Richard Hughes, then Bournemouth’s technical director."
Man Utd’s Delap boost
Manchester United’s hopes of signing Ipswich striker Liam Delap have been boosted after the club’s chairman acknowledged that selling players is part of the “cycle of football”, the Mirror reports.
Delap has caught the eye with his standout performances, scoring 10 goals under Kieran McKenna this season, and the 21-year-old has now reportedly been added to Ruben Amorim’s five-man shortlist of strikers ahead of the summer transfer window, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggling to provide consistent goals.
The Mirror adds: “Delap is said to have been included on United's watchlist along with Hugo Ekitike, Red Bull Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Victor Osimhen and Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres.
“The Red Devils are currently 13th in the Premier League and face a huge task to get back to the summit of the Premier League, but as a starting point Amorim needs a forward who can guarantee goals every matchday.
“And if he believes Delap is the man to deliver on that, he may have received a boost after Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton conceded the club may have to sell their best players eventually.”
Chelsea eye Kounde
Chelsea have reignited their pursuit of Barcelona defender Jules Kounde while continuing to monitor Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen, The Sun reports.
The Blues have been searching for a top-rated centre-back since Thiago Silva left Stamford Bridge last year and are said to be preparing another bid for Kounde, 26, having previously attempted to sign him from Sevilla in 2022 before Barcelona secured the deal with a £42m offer.
The Sun adds: “Chelsea need a central defender that can also cover at full-back, making the France international the perfect pick for manager Enzo Maresca.
“Kounde was initially supposed to play at centre-back under previous Barcelona boss Xavi but the Spanish tactician quickly realised how good he is at right-back as well and changed his position.
“Current Blaugrana manager Hansi Flick has continued to field the Frenchman on the right flank of his defence and the player has proven to be among the best in Europe.
“Chelsea are also eyeing Bournemouth's Huijsen, 19, ahead of the summer transfer window. However, the same source claims Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the Spain international.”
Chelsea’s goalkeeper battle
Djordje Petrovic and highly rated teenager Mike Penders will be given the chance to compete for Chelsea’s No. 1 spot this summer as the club conduct a full review of their goalkeeping options, the Telegraph reports.
Petrovic has spent the season on loan at Strasbourg, while Penders is set to officially join Chelsea from Genk at the end of the campaign. Both goalkeepers will return in time for the Club World Cup and could travel with Maresca’s squad to the United States.
The Telegraph adds: “The current plan at Chelsea is for the club to assess Petrovic and Penders, along with this season’s first-team duo of Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen this summer before deciding on the goalkeeping roster for next season.
“Goalkeeper has proved to be a problem position for Chelsea this term, with Maresca dropping both Sanchez and Jorgensen for making mistakes.
“But Petrovic, who made a promising start to his Chelsea career under former head coach Mauricio Pochettino, and Penders have been in excellent form this season.
“Crucially, Petrovic has shown a big improvement with his feet at Strasbourg and has played in a style that is far closer to that of Maresca at Chelsea.”
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