Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Nemanja Vidic, Christoph Kramer Rumours

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal could suffer double disappointment in his hunt for two defensive targets this winter after finding his pursuits of Nemanja Vidic and Christoph Kramer may be dead ends.

In November the Express' Anthony Chapman touted that Vidic could complete a swift return to Old Trafford just months after joining Inter, but La Stampa (via Football Italia) now says that Juventus have entered the chase for his services.

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It's reported the Bianconeri are interested in landing the centre-back on loan for the remainder of the 2014-15 campaign, with manager Roberto Mancini seemingly unimpressed by his defender.

In another report, Football Italia quotes Mancini as stating that Vidic's place in his squad is related to fitness, but by no means does the boss offer his player a clear stamp of approval:

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At this moment these are the defenders and I’m sticking with them. They are improving and are one of the few areas of the team it’s generally best not to fiddle with. Vidic will improve his fitness levels, he has experience and has won everything in his career, so if he deserves to play, then he will.

"

Central defence is one area in which Van Gaal has been particularly unfortunate when it comes to injuries, seeing Jonny Evans, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling all endure time out injured.

Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports confirmed that the player's agent has been in contact with Massimiliano Allegri's side regarding a switch:

Vidic, along with Rio Ferdinand, was one of the figures to depart this past summer and see a heap of experience leave with him, something Van Gaal's lineup could assuredly make use of these days.

The hopes on Bayer Leverkusen's Kramer may be somewhat more promising, but the Red Devils must move fast as Europe's giants begin to circle.

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The Daily Mail (via the Daily Star's Marc Williams) says that Kramer, currently in the second season of a two-year spell at Borussia Monchengladbach, is set to become the subject of a £20 million move from Arsenal.

However, 101 Great Goals provides translation of a video (in Spanish), which shows Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti also admitting his admiration for the 2014 World Cup winner:

With that, it would seem Kramer has his pick of a big bunch upon seeing his contract at Borussia-Park come to an end.

The Factory Squad will undoubtedly do all they can to retain arguably its brightest talent, but Norwegian pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft isn't such a big fan of the midfielder:

Van Gaal's midfield has also been hit with a raft of injuries this season, seeing Daley Blind and Michael Carrick already miss big chunks of the 2014-15 campaign.

Kramer would be a welcome, versatile addition to their ranks: a box-to-box anchor capable of stabilising and distributing in a manner not too dissimilar from Blind himself.

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Having risen to fame since thriving as part of the Foals' first team this past year, Kramer is now courting more attention than before—such is the value in his alleged £20 million.

However, United will have a list of world-class priorities already lined up for their 2015 recruitment pledge—the question being how highly, if at all, Kramer's name features on it.