Manchester United are pressing ahead with plans to sign Bastian Schweinsteiger after identifying the Bayern Munich and Germany player as a leading midfield target this summer.
Louis van Gaal is also keen to bring Kevin Strootman to Old Trafford, but with the Holland midfielder not expected to return to action until the autumn after a serious knee injury, any prospective transfer would be unlikely to be formally completed until next year should Roma, his club, want to sell.
Although Van Gaal has made purchasing a world-class central defender his priority after the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic — Mats Hummels, of Borussia Dortmund, is a target — the incoming manager is also determined to address United’s weaknesses in midfield. David Moyes, who was sacked as United manager in April, had been keen to sign Toni Kroos — in addition to one of Cesc Fàbregas, Paul Pogba or Arturo Vidal — but Van Gaal has asked the United hierarchy to focus on Schweinsteiger, Kroos’s Bayern and Germany team-mate whom he managed during his two-year spell in charge of the Bavarian giants.
Schweinsteiger enters the final two years of his contract at Bayern this summer and Pep Guardiola, the coach of the German champions, is believed to be prepared to part company with the 29-year-old for the right price. A key lieutenant under Jupp Heynckes, Schweinsteiger — who would cost about £25 million — is not thought to enjoy the same relationship with Guardiola and is willing to consider leaving the club he first joined as a 13-year-old.
United had hoped to do a chunk of their transfer business before the World Cup, but Moyes’s sacking threw a spanner in the works, especially with Van Gaal telling the club to end their pursuit of certain targets identified by his predecessor.
A deal with Southampton for Luke Shaw, the England left back, has been agreed in principle and is likely to be announced after the World Cup, with United eager to tie up other potential signings.
Van Gaal is also a keen admirer of Strootman. The midfielder would have played a central role under Van Gaal in the World Cup but the player suffered a cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in March during a game against Napoli and was forced to undergo surgery.
Strootman is expected to return to action in September and United will probably wait to see how he recovers from the injury before attempting to tie up a deal, but it seems likely that the club will look to put in some groundwork this summer. Van Gaal had also been interested in Thomas Müller but the Germany forward has just signed a new five-year contract with Bayern.
With Ryan Giggs — who will serve as Van Gaal’s No 2 — having announced his retirement from playing, Anderson expected to leave this summer and doubts over the futures of Marouane Fellaini, Darren Fletcher and Tom Cleverley, strengthening the midfield is vital.
MANCHESTER UNITED’S move for Luke Shaw has stalled – leading to fears inside Old Trafford the club face another frustrating summer transfer window.
Despite signalling back in April after sacking David Moyes that a deal for Shaw would be pushed through before the World Cup, it has emerged that United did not come close to delivering on their claim.
It is understood no agreement has been reached on a fee for Shaw and nor are United even near to persuading Southampton to sell their coveted teenager. Any transfer involving Shaw will have to wait until after the England squad return from Brazil - and United are not the only club coveting Shaw.
This situation has started alarm bells ringing in certain important quarters within United. Ed Woodward, United’s chief executive, remains confident he is close to pulling off several major transfers.
United believe that the £27m they are willing to offer for Shaw will be sufficient for Southampton to release the 18-year-old. Southampton, who have already sold Rickie Lambert to Liverpool and are also trying to resist Liverpool’s attempts to sign Adam Lallana, would hope to get £30m for Shaw – should they be forced into a sale.
United’s groundwork on Shaw was largely done by Moyes and the player favours a move to Old Trafford but Moyes’ departure caused a hiatus in the deal. A further delay to United’s transfer activities was the decision of Louis van Gaal, their incoming manager, to abandon a move for Toni Kroos and counsel against bidding for Cesc Fabregas when Barcelona put the midfielder on the market. Fabregas moved to Chelsea last week in a £30m deal.
That Van Gaal won’t take charge of United until after the World Cup is another hitch. He is keen to sign Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger and Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels, as well as Shaw, but United will face complications in getting such major deals over the line. Van Gaal raised questions over the club’s transfer operations before agreeing to take the manager’s job.
All this has led to concerns United might be in for a repeat of last summer’s transfer window in which Woodward failed with pursuits of Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo and to pull off a joint deal for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines.
Fellaini was United’s only significant transfer last summer and Juan Mata remains the one major purchase, for £37m, made by the club since then. Already this summer Chelsea have signed Fabregas and Diego Costa, Liverpool have put deals in place for Lambert and Emre Can and Manchester City are on the verge of announcing the capture of Fernando.
Another headache for United has been their inability, so far, to sell players deemed surplus to the squad such as Anderson and Javier Hernandez. Without Champions League football next season, United will play a reduced number of matches and Van Gaal favours a tight squad of players, pulling together and involved in the majority of games.
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Woodward thinks he's the new Perez ffs
New signings are meant to peak interest and bring excitement
But just pure eye rolling going on
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The King
Ducker.
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JOHN DOE
Getting annoyed with all these reports and no signings
Wake up every morning Google United and all I see is more speculation just like last season. We need the hell is David Gill when you need him
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Tee
i think its all BS
dont think nothing will happen till hes holland duties are over
bare papertalk or players trying to get more money IMO
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Fresh
When so many names are linked in one article you know the press know FA
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Kompressor
If that's the case, they're all fucking stupid.
Van Gaal is not an idiot and he'd of spent a lot of the last couple years watching RVP and therefore United.
He'll have an idea of what the weaknesses are and what kinda players can help with that.
All he'd have to do is slip a want list to "there is no budget" Woodward and things should be moved on from there.
Players will have/should have been sounded out last month, then it's all down to agents and the selling clubs.
I'm simplifying here abit but seriously there is no reason why the players can't be in place for the start of pre-season and Van Gaal's arrival.
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Kompressor
Or maybe Woodward keeps letting all his ideas out into the public domain.
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Agony
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Mame Biram Diouf
If Rooney flops tonight it's over for him
MMedia will never forgive him
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i5_PRODUCER
300Bags
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Agony
English fans be like why can't we retain possession like other teams?
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The King
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Adotbiz
Looks like going to be a long summer again, of just rumours
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JOHN DOE
now they are saying we are in for robben
i swear the media are just doing this for people to click on the links
im not even paying attention anymore
why the f*ck would robben leave bayern to come united right now
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