Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Louis Van Gaal's Plan for Fresh Raid
It’s not something that Manchester United fans will want to admit, but their 2014 summer transfer window had a Manchester City-esque feel about it.
United threw millions upon millions at players just to wrestle them into the famous red shirt after Louis van Gaal’s tenure as manager began with disappointment, but it seems such senseless spending was exactly what the Red Devils needed.
The new-look Manchester United now boast some of the most talented players ever to grace the planet and, suddenly, the Premier League title doesn’t seem so far out of reach.
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Van Gaal isn’t finished yet, though, and he’ll undoubtedly be using the January transfer window to add to his team of superstars and return to the top of the world game. Here’s a look at the candidates that could be helping the Dutchman on his mission.
No need to rub your eyes, Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has indeed been linked with a move back to the club that nurtured him into the world-beater he is today.
The story comes after former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon suggested that the 29-year-old is getting a little “fed up” with life at the Bernabeu, with player sales in particular getting under his skin.
With that in mind, Calderon told talkSPORT that Ronaldo could be looking for a way out of the Spanish capital in the near future, with Old Trafford his most likely destination:
"My impression is he is fed up with the policy of the current president. When he came [to Real Madrid] with [Arjen] Robben he thought he would be a good colleague for him in the team [but then he was sold]. Two years ago it was [Gonzalo] Higuain sold and he didn’t like that. Last year he thought it was a mistake to let [Mesut] Ozil leave and the last straw was selling Xabi Alonso and Angel di Maria this summer. When I signed him in 2008, I remember he said he was grateful to Manchester United. He had a marvellous time there, he likes everything. It is a really great club.
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Such speculation would have any club counting their pennies in the bid to bring the Portuguese star in, but as Ronaldo is Ronaldo, it would take a lot of counting for United.
It’s likely that Real Madrid would want to recoup the bulk of the £80 million that they spent to bring Ronaldo to the Bernabeu back in 2009, and that’s without considering his £300,000-per-week wage packet—after tax.
While he's the best player on the planet right now, approaching 30 years of age means that Ronaldo’s prime years could soon be behind him, making the big-money deal for United not appear worth it.
Van Gaal also insisted that his focus is away from Ronaldo right now, but did say that a player of his class would add a lot to his side—per Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph:
“It’s not something for current focus. It is possible. That’s what I have said with Falcao. Players like Ronaldo give a lot extra to the team, but I don’t think Real Madrid shall sell him.”
January could indeed come too soon for United fans to dig out their Ronaldo 7 shirts again, but Guillem Balague believes that the move will happen eventually—via Bleacher Report UK:
It’s no secret that Ronaldo loves United—why wouldn’t he? He owes everything to the club, who dug him out of Sporting Lisbon’s ranks and made him invincible.
He’ll be back, but it’s likely to be more of a career ender than a career enhancer.
Kevin Strootman
If you thought the Ronaldo deal was a little financially off, then the proposed swoop for Roma's Kevin Strootman will have you scratching your head even more.
As Simon Mullock of the Daily Mirror revealed, United have been told that if they wish to acquire the services of Strootman, it will set them back all of £60 million.
The 24-year-old Dutchman linked up with Van Gaal on international duty but missed out on the World Cup in Brazil through injury.
While the Netherlands put together an impressive campaign, the absence of Strootman was evident in their play, as they appeared one powerful midfielder away from reaping glory.
That’s exactly what the Roma star is, and with central midfield a little bare for United, it’s unsurprising to see the Red Devils chasing his signature.
Strootman himself appears just as keen as United to make the move happen, too, as Mullock reports that he’s parted company with his agent and linked up with Robin van Persie’s adviser Kes Vos in a bid to switch as soon as January.
Van Gaal was looking at his countryman during the summer with a £25 million deal on the cards, but such an astounding inflation of the price tag could cease the interest.
That’s exactly what Roma want, as Pete O’Rourke of Sky Sports revealed that the last thing the club want to do is sell their star midfielder:
United, then, desperately need Strootman to make the deal happen from inside the club, hopefully resulting in the price being driven down.
That being said, a large amount of money spent to acquire the 24-year-old wouldn’t exactly be the worst piece of business by Van Gaal.
The Dutchman is fast approaching the prime of his career, and with United needing to look to the future for success, Strootman’s signing appears a logical one.
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