Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Nigel De Jong, Wesley Sneijder Rumours

There’s nothing quite like a familiar, experienced head to come in and provide a steadying influence during a nail-biting end to the season, and it’s an opinion that looks to be shared by Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman has been linked with two men who were key components in his Netherlands side finishing third at the 2014 World Cup.

Silvia Izquierdo/Associated Press

The first is a midfield player who's been touted in perpetuity as a potential target for the Old Trafford club, Wesley Sneijder. According to Nick Lustig of the Daily Star, the Galatasaray midfielder—who has a reported £15.6 million release clause in his contract—has been keenly followed by United and Southampton so far this season.

Here’s a look at what the veteran playmaker could potentially add to either side:

But speaking with Bugun TV (h/t Lustig’s aforementioned piece), the player's agent, Guido Albers, insists Sneijder is settled in Istanbul, and the club is desperate to keep hold of him:

"

The Galatasaray board told me that they won't sell Sneijder. Wesley loves Galatasaray and the fans. Both he and his wife Yolanthe want to stay in Istanbul.

If there is a club interested him, they have to negotiate with the Galatasaray board, not with me.

Also, any club who wants him will have to pay the £15.6m release clause in his contract. Not £4m, £8m or £10m.

"

Peter Dejong/Associated Press

Sneijder would still be an astute acquisition for a top club in Europe, but at this juncture, he’s not the kind of player United need. Van Gaal already has an array of attacking midfield options at his disposal, and although he’s familiar with the talents of Sneijder, signing him would leave the Red Devils with a profusion of players looking to fill a smattering of spots.

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Indeed, the Red Devils would be better off targeting a player in the mould of Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin, who they’ve been linked with recently, per Steve Stammers of the Daily Mirror. Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks that he’d be an excellent purchase for a side—like United—in need of a holding midfield man:

Perhaps it makes more sense to read that Van Gaal is eyeing up a move for Nigel de Jong. The AC Milan midfielder’s contract is set to expire at the end of the current season and, according to tuttomercatoweb.com (h/t Saikat of Soccerlens), the Rossoneri are keen to offload him in January to prevent the player walking away for nothing.

Hassan Ammar/Associated Press

Here’s a look at why United may be keen on getting De Jong on board for a cut-price figure:

The 30-year-old midfielder would certainly bring some steel to the base of United’s midfield. He’s a player who is ferocious in the tackle, a wonderful reader of the game and an understatedly clever manipulator of the ball, too.

His influence would be most welcome in what's occasionally a vacuous Red Devils midfield, as noted recently by BBC’s Musa Okwonga:

De Jong would be a fine short-term fix for United. Van Gaal is well acquainted with his attributes and how best to utilise him, while De Jong is a midfielder who's already experienced the abrasive nature of top-flight English football during his successful spell at Manchester City.

His affinity with the Red Devils’ city rivals could prevent a move, but with the Rossoneri struggling and De Jong clearly taking a non-committal stance when it comes to his future at the club, surely he’d relish the chance to join up with Van Gaal and have another crack at the Premier League.