Manchester United Transfer News and Rumours Tracker: Week of January 12
Manchester United came crashing back to earth on Sunday after the team fell to a surprise home defeat to Southampton.
The loss ended United's excellent unbeaten run through the Christmas period and sees the Saints leapfrog the Red Devils in the Premier League table.
United were abject in their performance, rarely threatening goal despite the reintroduction to the first team of Angel Di Maria.
Louis van Gaal will now be looking to add real quality to his defence and midfield with the January transfer window open.
Here, we review the latest gossip and rumours surrounding United's transfer activity.
Last updated: Friday, January 16.
Louis van Gaal Monitors Sami Khedira
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Friday, January 16
Manchester United and a host of top clubs are keeping an eye on Sami Khedira's situation at Real Madrid, with Spanish sources saying both Florentino Perez and player are willing to listen to offers for the midfielder's services.
Jamie Anderson of the Express writes Chelsea and Arsenal are also interested in bringing the World Cup winner to the Premier League, with Bayern Munich the 11-4 favourite to capture the Galactico.
The 27-year-old has failed to start a game for Madrid this season, only amassing six appearances from the bench in La Liga this term, per WhoScored.com.
Anderson quotes Khedira is on £120,000 a week at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium—and Madrid may now choose to lose the player with no contract extension in the pipeline.
United Chase Paulo Dybala
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Thursday, January 15
Manchester United have set their sights firmly on Argentine sensation Paulo Dybala, with the player's club confirming contact with the Red Devils.
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini spoke to Radio Due, per FootballItalia.net, about the approach from Louis van Gaal and explained he told the Old Trafford giants to come back for the attacker in the summer:
"Dybala is worth over €40 million, but I won’t sell him until June. Many foreign clubs asked after him, including Manchester United. I told the English side that he is not for sale right now, but we can talk about it again in six months. In my view, he is the best striker in Europe at the moment.
"
Dybala has been in exceptional form this season, scoring nine times in Serie A and providing seven assists in his 17 appearances, per FootballItalia. He could be seen as a viable alternative to Radamel Falcao—who continues to struggle with form and fitness, and is considerably older than the 21-year-old prodigy.
Manchester United Consider Alex Song Bid
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Wednesday, January 14
West Ham are keen to tie Barcelona midfielder Alex Song to a permanent deal in the wake of Manchester United's interest in the midfielder.
Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express says Barca boss Luis Enrique has no plans to bring the 27-year-old back to the Camp Nou after his loan spell at Upton Park, leaving the English sides to battle for his signature.
Song has been impressive since his return to the Premier League and has been a major influence in the Hammers' success this term.
Chapman writes Song is not Louis van Gaal's first choice to improve his midfield, but the Dutch coach has not ruled out a move for the Cameroonian.
Spanish Reports Say Aymeric Laporte Agrees United Deal
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Tuesday, January 13
Manchester United fans could be set to have their prayers answered for the arrival of a top-class centre-back, as reports in Spain suggest Aymeric Laporte has "packed his bags" ahead of joining the Red Devils.
Jamie Sanderson of the Metro writes Louis van Gaal has offered £25 million for the highly coveted Frenchman, with United close to agreeing a deal with Athletic Bilbao.
"Only the final details of the fee (are) left to be sorted before the switch happens," Sanderson adds.
The 20-year-old has also been subject of interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea, but it seems United have won the race to sign the defender.
Jack Wilson of the Daily Star claims Laporte is a boyhood United fan, and this surely would have helped Van Gaal capture the young talent.
Thomas Mueller Availability Alerts Manchester United
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Monday, January 12
Thomas Mueller is said to be "open to a change of scenery," after reports in Spain claimed the player has been offered to Real Madrid by his agent—alerting Manchester United to his availability.
Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express says it is believed the World Cup hero would prefer a move to the Spanish capital, with a £45 million tag on his head.
However, if Madrid have no interest in signing him, United might want to hijack any such move.
Louis van Gaal and the player alreadu share a close and personal relationship, as confirmed by Mueller, per Jefferson:
"It's no secret that Louis van Gaal and I have a relationship that goes a little beyond the normal relationship between coaches and players. [But] I have a contract with Bayern Munich until summer 2017.
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Mueller has proved himself to be a versatile forward who can fulfil a number of attacking positions and tactics. Van Gaal is a fan of such talent and would surely like the idea of having Mueller at his disposal.
Paul Pogba Agent Refuses to Rule out Premier League Switch
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Monday, January 12
Paul Pogba's agent has publicly spoken about the huge current value of his client, telling Italian radio he cannot rule out a move for the French prodigy if a buyer comes forward.
Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express quotes Mino Raiola speaking with Radio Anch'io Sport about the 21-year-old superstar, with the agent claiming his player is now one of the most valuable individuals in world football:
"He's one of the most expensive players on the market. For his age and how much he can improve he's among the best in the world. But the price always depends on the possible buyer.
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Pogba left Manchester United on a free transfer as a teenager and has been a sensation since breaking into the Juventus first team.
Jefferson says the Old Lady want £77 million for the midfielder should Manchester United, or any of their English competitors, come calling.
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