Mats Hummels Transfer Rumours: Latest News and Speculation on Dortmund Star

Whether it be for the national team, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund, Mats Hammels has been a part of German football his entire life.

But once the January transfer window opens up, that may quickly change.     

According to The Guardian's Jamie Jackson, Premier League club Manchester United, looking to work their way back into the top four, are going to be all-in on the 25-year-old centre-back as soon as the new year rolls around.

While Dortmund seems unlikely to cut ties with Hummels, the Red Devils are reportedly willing to offer more than £32 million, which would be a British record transfer fee for a defender.

As United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward warned, though, midseason transfers aren't always common.

"We are not looking to enter the market for short-term fixes," said Woodward. "However, we have targets we are looking at for next summer. Should any of them become available in January, which is obviously rare, we will consider acting but it is a low probability."

Much like Dortmund—who are shockingly near the bottom of the Bundesliga—as a whole, Hummels hasn't enjoyed the kind of season most were anticipating. He has made just six inconsistent league appearances, and now he's out until the end of November with a sprained ankle.

Still, the World Cup champion is one of the best centre-backs in the world, serving as a rock-solid defensive presence, a talent on the ball and a consistent threat in the air. When healthy, there's little question he would provide a major boost for United, who have struggled to find a constant, experienced pair in front of David de Gea and are now without Marcos Rojo for an extended period of time.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Even with Hummels out of form and not fully fit, though, it sounds as though the Red Devils won't be getting any discounts.

As such, Louis van Gaal and Co. will have to decide if the steep price tag is worth it, or if they want to address the problem with a potentially cheaper solution.

Either way, this is going to be one of the more compelling rumors to pay attention to over the next six weeks.