Manchester United Transfers: Latest Talk on Gareth Bale and Mats Hummels

Manager Louis van Gaal has started to get Manchester United looking like the team that dominated English football for two decades, with performances and morale improving by the game.

However, the Dutchman’s job is far from complete, and despite splashing a ridiculous amount of cash in the summer to bring United’s squad up to speed with the Premier League elite, it seems the spending still hasn’t ceased.

Here’s a look at two big-name stars who many would like to see at Old Trafford, though it would take fees with more zeroes in them than we even knew possible.

Gareth Bale

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Real Madrid’s superstar Welshman, Gareth Bale, signed for the Spanish giants just last summer for a world-record £86 million fee, but it seems that a sensational return to the English top flight could well be on the cards.

As John Richardson of the Sunday Express revealed, United are prepared to smash their club transfer record to get Bale to Old Trafford in the summer, and the man himself has been made aware of the club’s ambitions.

The 25-year-old has also reportedly given the “green light” for the move to go ahead. His decision has his family’s interest at heart, Bale having been interested in joining the Red Devils before eventually settling for life abroad.

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The transfer does seem a little pie in the sky, but based on United’s recent record, seeing the club offer £80 million for Bale in the summer wouldn’t be the craziest thing to happen.

It’s clear that the Red Devils need reinforcements in defence, but no fan in his or her right mind would turn down the chance to sign the Welshman, who has been nothing short of phenomenal since touching down in the Spanish capital.

BBC Sport’s Jason Mohammad agrees with such a sentiment, saying that success would definitely return to Old Trafford if the Red Devils signed Bale:

While Mohammad is jokingly letting his Welsh bias get the better of him, the prospect of Bale playing for Manchester United is tantalizing.

Richardson writes that there’s absolutely no chance of Real Madrid selling the forward in January, but Van Gaal’s chance to swoop will come in the summer.

Likelihood Factor: 4/10

Having Bale back in the Premier League is a wonderful thought, but he seems to be at home in Madrid and is certainly part of the club’s long-term plans. It would take something very special for this transfer to go through.

Mats Hummels

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Ask 100 Manchester United fans what kind of player their club needs to sign in the January transfer window, and you’ll get a clean sweep of responses calling for a defender.

The only problem is, United just don't want any ordinary defender (they have enough of those). They want a leader to guide their youngsters through matches.

That’s a bill that German international Mats Hummels undoubtedly fits, and with current club Borussia Dortmund struggling at the wrong end of the Bundesliga, the opportunity to move elsewhere couldn’t come at a better time.

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Similar with Bale, any United fan with an ounce of sense would relish seeing Hummels don the famous red shirt, and former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel agrees with that sentiment.

The Dane told Naveen Ullal of the International Business Times that Hummels is the perfect man to step in at the back and steady the ship:

"

One name which is mentioned consistently in the last two year is Mats Hummels. He's won the World Cup with Germany and showed how good he is. First and foremost United need defenders. They also need a leader. Signing Hummels could give them both. So of course if they are successful in securing his services, it would be a fantastic addition to the squad.

"

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Schmeichel isn’t wrong, either, and although Hummels hasn’t been performing superbly recently, he’s more than good enough to cut it in the Premier League.

The World Cup winner is likely to cost around £50 million, but when you look at the United squad and the gaping hole in its back line, that’s somewhat of a bargain.

Likelihood Factor: 6/10

Hummels is unlikely to be staying with Dortmund for too much longer, and he essentially has a pick of what club he goes to. Should Manchester United offer the right fee and deal, then there’s no reason why he won’t be heading to Old Trafford.