Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Louis Van Gaal's Big-Money Targets

Life at Manchester United is never dull, with the club seemingly linked with every top talent in world football.

Louis van Gaal has found life difficult during his opening gambit as United boss and will be planning ahead to capture the players he needs to make the team title contenders once again.

The Red Devils defence has been shredded since the summer, an issue the Dutch coach will need to address in the next transfer window.

Here we look at LvG's latest big-money targets and the gossip surrounding these individuals:

Fabio Coentrao

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

After missing out on Real Madrid's Fabio Coentrao in the summer, it seems Manchester United have been given the nod to attempt to capture the player once again.

Anthony Chapman of the Express says LvG will move for the Portugal international in January in a deal worth £27 million—after Los Blancos target David Alaba declared himself soon to be fit after injury.

Chapman says Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is desperate to land the Austrian full-back from Bayern Munich but must part with Coentrao or Marcelo.

But Marcelo is in a rich vein of form—so it seems that Coentrao will be shown the door.

Speaking of his recent fitness, Alaba says he is almost ready to return to first-team action, per Chapman—triggering his possible move to the Spanish capital:

"I hope to be at the coach's disposal by January. The knee is fine and I feel good about myself. I hope to return as soon as possible."

Coentrao has hardly featured for Ancelotti this season with the player being out of favour and injured. He has made just one La Liga appearance this year—per WhoScored.com—playing more times for his country than he has for his club.

Coentrao was a major signing for Madrid when he arrived in 2011, but the player has not hit the heights that were expected of him.

But his versatility in defence and attack would make him a shrewd signing for United—as they look to add solid individuals to their squad.

Coentrao can play anywhere down the left-hand side of the pitch, meaning he can offer cover and competition to Luke Shaw, as well as being a winger option from Van Gaal.

But at £27 million, he sounds very expensive. For that money, United could find themselves a very good specialist winger—and with Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind recently purchased, no additional cover for Shaw is specifically needed.

Miranda

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

After a fantastic couple of seasons at Atletico Madrid, winning La Liga and getting to a Champions League final, it appears Diego Simeone could be willing to depart with his big centre-back Miranda—triggering a move by Manchester United.

Jamie Anderson of the Express reports United have been given the "green light" to make an approach for the 30-year-old Brazilian defender, who is also back in his country's international team.

Anderson says that £20 million could get the deal done as Van Gaal looks to solve his issues at the heart of his back four.

And Simeone is said to already have Miranda's long-term replacement lined up with the club's Uruguayan teenage prodigy—Jose Gimenez.

Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

Gimenez is already an international for his country, and his quick development could see Miranda exit the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Football presenter Anto Rosso also thinks there is every chance Miranda could depart Atletico but being replaced by River Plate talent Eder Balanta:

Miranda may be the wrong side of 30, but he would be an outstanding signing for LvG. He is a composed and strong player who has been the bedrock of Atletico's recent success.

United need a leader at the back, and after losing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic simultaneously, the Reds have looked thin in this department.

Miranda would not shirk the physicality of the Premier League and will offer a short- and mid-term solution to United's immediate defensive worries.

A fee of £20 million for a top class player is not a lot of money in 2014, and Miranda would give his new team-mates a huge boost on his arrival at Old Trafford.