Manchester United May Have to Wait Until Summer to Sign Mats Hummels

That Manchester United would like to sign Mats Hummels is news to no one, and reports of the Premier League outfit's interest in the Borussia Dortmund defender have only intensified since he helped steer Germany to World Cup glory during the summer.

It's a popular—even sensible—transfer rumour because, from a United perspective, it addresses an obvious need.

Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

The Red Devils quite clearly require a defensive renovation and Hummels, who won back-to-back titles with Dortmund in 2011 and 2012, is one of the better centre-backs in world football.

In the context's of Dortmund's present circumstances, however, it's a piece of business that would be illogical to conduct before the end of the season at the earliest.

Following a disastrous first half of the Bundesliga season, the 2013 Champions League finalists are tied at the bottom of the division and face a battle for their very existence in the top flight over the next few months.

They need Hummels to help ensure safety, and even the £37 million the Daily Mail's Simon Jones is claiming United have offered for him would pale in comparison with the financial hit the club would take if it were relegated.

Not so sensible from a Dortmund perspective, then.

Interestingly, both the Daily Express and Metro.co.uk have also quoted the £37 million fee, and both cited a Wednesday article in Bild as their source.

But, as Sport Witness and respected Bundesliga reporter Raphael Honigstein both pointed out via Twitter, the Bild story expressly pointed to a summer transfer rather than one completed by the end of the January window:

Now, that's not to say a deal won't be struck in the next few days, but Hummels would have to demand the switch before Monday, and he has yet to offer any indication that he'll do so.

United's best bet is to wait until the summer, when Dortmund have previously been prepared to sell some of their best players.

It was in June 2012 that playmaker Shinji Kagawa swapped the Westfalenstadion for Old Trafford, and a year later Mario Gotze joined Bayern Munich.

Manchester United will probably land Hummels if that's where they decide to spend their money, but they'll have to be patient. Dortmund have even greater need for him at the moment.

Follow @jerradpeters