Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Arturo Vidal, Wesley Sneijder, More

Ed Woodward's suggestion that there is only a "low probability" of Manchester United entering the January transfer market, as stated on a conference call with Wall Street analysts (via Richard Jolly of ESPN FC), hasn't stopped the the Red Devils from being linked with plenty of targets.

Constant reports have almost willed Arturo Vidal to Old Trafford since the summer, but Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri continues to highlight the importance of his destructive midfielder. Football writer David Amoyal provided quotes from the Turin-based boss, as spoken to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport:

Vidal has made six starts and two substitute appearances in Serie A this season, scoring three goals, per WhoScored.com.

The Chilean's overall output hasn't matched his usual excellent standards just yet, but as noted by Allegri, he is showing signs of finding full fitness. He is certainly expected to push on after the international break.

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According to Woodward, United aren't ready to lure "short-term fixes" in the winter, per Jolly. The executive vice-chairman suggests signings of Vidal's stature would force the club to spend serious money, however, meaning a lack of activity cannot be ruled out.

It's perhaps ominous that Wesley Sneijder is once again linked to the club with this in mind, as reported by Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express. The Dutch midfielder's annual flirt with the Theatre of Dreams is set to commence even though Galatasaray boss Cesare Prandelli has confirmed Sneijder is committed, per Sky Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio: "It's not true at all that he'll leave. He's a great player, it's normal that he stands out. But I talked to him and he denied that there’s any chance that he'll leave."

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Sneijder further confirmed that he wouldn't leave the Turkish side, according to a report on FIFA.com:

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"My name is always linked to this kind of news. But I do not pay attention to this," Sneijder, 30, told the Galatasaray TV channel ahead of the weekend clash with arch Black Sea rivals Trabzonspor.

"I feel good with the team and with the guys and I am not thinking of leaving here at any time," he said.

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At 30 years old, Sneijder certainly wouldn't provide a long-term fix to United's problems. He doesn't offer the physical domination so desperately needed in the centre and would only add to the selection headache Louis van Gaal faces when choosing his creative midfielders.

The experienced boss has utilised Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria and Juan Mata to link play this season, ensuring there's priorities to be addressed before turning to Sneijder.

Namely, the signing of a world-class central defender should dominate the manager's thought process. Van Gaal is said to be "exploring the possibility" of signing Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund, per Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, a transfer that could quash the British record transfer fee for a defender, according to the aforementioned report.

Bundesliga specialist Clark Whitney highlights the symbolic importance of Dortmund holding on to their German powerhouse:

Van Gaal secured a slew of new signings during the summer. While Di Maria impressed the most during his early displays, the recent sturdiness of Daley Blind can be considered United's most consistent success so far. Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News proposed how United can cope without the injured Dutchman during his recent chat with B/R UK's Ryan Bailey:

Woodward's comments suggest United fans may have to wait until the summer for further reinforcements. Saido Berahino is said to be on Van Gaal's list of targets, per Paul Clennam of Goal.com, but the West Brom striker is exactly the type of acquisition who can wait until the season's end.

Other targets should be considered essential at this point. United will be four points behind Arsenal if they fail to emerge victorious during Saturday's clash at the Emirates, highlighting plenty of room for improvement.

Van Gaal's team are yet to put down a significant marker in their quest to regain Champions League football, but they could kick-start their campaign with a memorable performance in the capital.