Old Trafford side set for a busy summer but which players are they should their incoming boss sign?
Louis van Gaal is a man on a mission. The incoming Old Trafford boss is set to be handed a massive £220m transfer war-chest and he seems hell bent on spending every last penny.
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Here is a closer look at his eight main targets and are thoughts on how likely a deal to bring each player to Man United is.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
£27m
Likelihood – 9/10
This deal is apparently as good as done and though the asking price seems steep for a teenage left-back there is every chance that the England man could act as a very able long term replacement for Patrice Evra.
The 18 year old has had an outstanding campaign and has matured into one of the hottest prospects in European football and his price-tag could continue to soar if he makes an impact at the 2014 World Cup finals.
Started 35 of Southampton’s 38 Premier League fixtures last season and seemingly a Man United target long before van Gaal arrived at the club.
Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
£35m+
Likelihood – 6/10
Seems to be very much a Louis van Gaal target but a move to bring the long serving Bayern Munich man to Old Trafford will be very tough to pull off.
The 24 year old isn’t supposed to have the greatest relationship with Allianz Arena boss Pep Guardiola but would the lanky German international be willing to leave arguably the most dominant side in European football, especially to join a club who can not even offer Champions League football?
Yes van Gaal knows Muller well and did kick-start his career at Bayern Munich but it would take a brave man to bet on this deal being completed this summer.
Muller has scored 83 goals in 221 appearances for Bayern Munich and is likely to play a prominent role in Joachim Low’s German national team set-up at this summer’s World Cup finals.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
£10m
Likelihood – 4/10
Another ‘pet project’ for Louis van Gaal and another player chief executive Ed Woodward will struggle to pull off.
Some sources claim the experienced midfielder could be available for just £10m but there seems little sense to that valuation.
There’s a bizarre school of thought that Guardiola is ready to sell the world beater as part of a freshening up of his squad but it’s not as though we are talking about a player who is ‘over the hill’, despite having 102 national team caps to his name the midfield schemer is still just 29.
Schweinsteiger has racked up 473 appearances for Bayern Munich since making his debut for the German giants back in November 2002.
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
£25m
Likelihood – 7/10
Perhaps tired of considering moves for the entire Bayern Munich squad Louis van Gaal is apparently keen on Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels.
This is a move that does deserve closer inspection.
Without Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand the Man United back-line looks very threadbare. Jonny Evans has been used sparingly in the past 18 months but is a very decent performer on his day whilst Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are better suited to right-back and defensive midfield roles so a new centre-back, or two, should be high up on van Gaal’s list of priorities.
The 25 year old has seen his Westfalenstadion side fall behind domestic rivals Bayern Munich and may feel the time is right for a new challenge.
Hummels won back to back Bundesliga titles in 2010/11 and 2011/12 in the heyday of Jurgen Klopp’s reign but Dortmund have since sold a succession of their top talents and the departure of top goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski to the Allianz Arena could perhaps be the final straw.
Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord)
£12m
Likelihood – 9/10
Man United need fresh central midfield options, Louis van Gaal coaches the Dutch national team, therefore is likely to consider moves for members of his international squad.
We can well see Clasie moving to Man United. The 22 year old Feyenoord captain has outgrown his Eredivisie side and would surely not think twice about moving to Old Trafford.
This is a deal we are confident could happen this summer.
Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord)
£10m
Likelihood – 8/10
Another young Dutchman who could form part of a Man United revolution.
The adaptable 22 year old can play at both centre-back and left-back and could well be tempted by the chance to follow his national team coach to Man United.
Indi has completed four seasons in Feyenoord’s first team set-up and has represented Holland on 13 occasions.
Solid, if not spectacular, signing.
Kevin Strootman (AS Roma)
£30m
Likelihood – 5/10
Man United tried to sign the Dutch midfield maestro last summer but failed in the race, or simply didn’t value the former PSV Eindhoven man highly enough, as AS Roma snapped up the rangy youngster.
Strootman looked the part before knee injury ended his season and ruled him out of the World Cup finals.
It would be a massive surprise if Rudi Garcia would consider any offers for the 24 year old, who is now very much a fan favourite at the Stadio Olimpico.
This may be a move Man United might want to revisit further down the road but isn’t a deal that’s going to happen this summer.
Koke (Atletico Madrid)
£48m
Likelihood – 7/10
Diego Simeone must fear he will lose the nucleus of the side that won the La Liga title last term and reached the Champions League final and one imagines the Spanish international midfielder, though happy at Vicente Calderon, may consider his options if he many of his club team-mates leave the club.
Diego Costa, Tiago, Filipe Luis are all wanted men and Atletico are well know for selling their prized assets and a lot will depend on whether the 22 year old feels his side can build on their successes.
Koke made 58 appearances in all competitions last term, scoring seven goals and finishing the La Liga campaign as the second highest assist maker.
The midfielder’s high price-tag may be a major obstacle to Man United’s interest.
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