Football news – Chelsea plan second Federico Chiesa bid despite Juventus deal – Paper Round

Chelsea set for Chiesa bid

Chelsea made a bid for Federico Chiesa in the summer but he has moved to Juventus on a two-year loan deal which will then turn to permanent when the arrangement comes to an end. The 23-year-old forward could then be subject of another offer by Chelsea, who are ready to make an immediate bid in order to secure his signature, says The Sun.

Paper Round’s view: Chiesa is a hugely promising player but it would be odd if Chelsea were making firm plans this far out for a player who may cost a huge sum. Italian players also rarely thrive when they move abroad so if Juventus are back to their winning ways then it is difficult to see that Chelsea would be successful with any attempt.

Guardiola hints at Bernardo exit

During the summer transfer window it was often rumoured that midfielder Bernardo Silva was looking to move abroad, but a transfer failed to materialise. The Mirror reports now that his manager Pep Guardiola suggested that he may ultimately decide to leave at the end of the season, saying: “If, at the end, he wants to leave and decides [to go] the only thing I can say is that the guy or the club that gets Bernardo is going to take one of the best players in the world.”

Paper Round’s view: Manchester is a perfectly nice city by British standards, but at the moment there are fuel shortages and the government and others are warning that there could be shortages for various items in the coming months. If the Portuguese player is offered the chance to move to a more functional country with warmer weather, then a move might make sense.

McClaren to leave Derby

The Daily Mail reports that Derby County advisor Steve McClaren has been let go from his role as an advisor. The 60-year-old former Derby County and England manager joined in November as Mel Morris looked to reinvigorate the side, but now they have hit serious financial difficulty, administrators are looking to cut costs and McClaren is easy to remove.

Paper Round’s view: If McClaren is there on a short-term or freelance basis then by removing him then Derby presumably have to give him little by way of payoff, and can lower their ongoing costs at the same time. With the situation now so fundamentally serious, his advice is not going to be at the heart of any resurgence until more resources are available.

Mbappe complains amid Real rumours

Kylian Mbappe is yet to sign a new deal at Paris Saint-Germain despite his contract being up at the end of the current season, amid speculation that he will join Real Madrid at the end of the season. Rumours had suggested that Mbappe is unhappy with the arrival of Lionel Messi, but Spanish newspaper Marca reports that he called teammate Neymar ‘a tramp’.

Paper Round’s view: Mbappe is clearly not too happy at the Parc des Princes and he appears set to leave at the end of season, presumably for Real Madrid. His relationship with PSG’s fans looks likely to fall apart in the near future, and while in-game disagreements are hardly serious, it does appear that Mbappe’s patience with the situation has ended.