Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Sami Khedira and Nicolas Gaitan

Manchester United are ready to end Arsenal's chances of signing Sami Khedira by offering the Real Madrid midfielder "significant" wages, according to the Spanish press.

The German has become somewhat redundant at the Bernabeu and is set to move either in January or when his contract expires at the end of the season. Louis van Gaal is preparing a hefty wage packet for the World Cup winner, which will see the Red Devils trump Arsenal, as reported by Fichajes.net (via Metro).

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News believes Khedira has caught the attention of Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, who has seen his midfield struggle for form this season. Chelsea and German champions Bayern Munich are also among those said to be tempted by the world-class midfielder, per Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express, whose well-rounded ability can be seen below:

It seems personal terms are destined to play a major role here. Van Gaal did well to rid United of deadwood during the summer, even if only on loan, and he is currently able to offer greater money due to his smaller group of players.

Charles Perrin of the Daily Express recently indicated Khedira is willing to lower his wage demands to £80,000 per week in order to force a move to Arsenal. However, this is likely to be well below what he will eventually earn with his next contract—be it in Madrid or elsewhere—meaning the most lucrative deal could decide the 27-year-old's vote.

Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves believes Khedira would be an ideal fit for the north London side, saying, "They need to strengthen that defensive midfield area and the one that stands out in my mind is Khedira," as reported by James Olley of the London Evening Standard. "He would be perfect for them."

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He would also be perfect for United, who need additional strength to shield the defence. Khedira's game is multifaceted, he can break up play and contribute with incisive attacking runs, while his physical nature would allow United to impose themselves against tough opposition.

A player of Khedira's quality doesn't often become so readily available. He is likely to receive inflated wages if his Madrid contract expires due to his new suitors not needing to part with a transfer fee. Van Gaal will be craving experienced winners and would most likely be forced to pay ridiculous sums for other players of similar quality (Kevin Strootman, especially).

According to Record newspaper (via talkSPORT), the club's alleged interest in Benfica star Nicolas Gaitan is set to end with the attacking midfielder remaining in Portugal. United currently have an abundance of similar players, so it would have been unnecessary to have spent out on the Argentinian.

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Van Gaal's team are preparing for a thorough examination ahead of Sunday's trip to face City. The local derby could highlight some of United's weaknesses, most likely in defence and midfield, increasing the need for a player of Khedira's ilk.

The boss will be monitoring his squad ahead of the January transfer window. He laid the attacking foundation in the summer, but he needs to begin padding out the rest of the team if success is to follow. Khedira makes perfect sense, even if he is to be lured with an expensive weekly cost.