Manchester United Transfer News: Buzz Surrounding Louis Van Gaal January Rumours

Manchester United could be about to address their defensive woes at right-back with the news that Dani Alves' time at Barcelona might be coming to an end.

Lewis Rudd of Metro writes Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has suggested the flying Brazilian could be on his way from the Camp Nou after failing to confirm the player would be offered a new contract, whilst speaking to Catalunya Radio:

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What concerns us now is that he [Alves] plays and contributes to the team. What is to come, will come. We never explain what we do on the issue of contracts. If it is done, it will be done discretely, like always.

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Lousi van Gaal has recently settled on using the 3-5-2 tactical formation that achieved huge success for his Netherlands side at the World Cup in his attempt to stabilise United's challenge for a top-four finish.

Alves would be seen as the perfect addition to facilitate and continue this tactic, with the experienced campaigner an old hand at playing wing-back.

Alves is out of contract at the end of the season, per The Telegraph, and if Barca do not want to lose the player on a free, they will be forced to sell him in January.

But the Brazilian can now sign a pre-contract agreement with teams outside Spain, and this would make more financial sense for Alves—if he is patient for just a few more months until he becomes a free agent.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Currently the defender is still picking up plenty of game time under Luis Enrique, appearing 19 times in La Liga and Europe and gaining four assists from his wide berth, per WhoScored.com.

Despite his contract situation and a disappointing tournament at the World Cup, Enrique has shown plenty of faith in the right-back's current ability and performance levels.

And the player himself seems content with his current standing, with his agent Dinorah Santa Ana commenting to Sport that Alves might be persuaded to stay with the Spanish giants, leaving the door open for a new deal, per Stefan Coerts of Goal.com:

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Dani has not yet made a decision whether he wants to stay at Barcelona or leave the club. He's open to both options. The fact that Barcelona cannot sign any one until January 2016 does not affect our decision. That's something the club will have to deal with. If Dani receives an offer, or maybe even offers from two or three clubs, we will sit down and consider it.

[...]

He is is the best right-back in the world, even if he did not make the World XI this year. He wants to be at a club where he feels comfortable. He does not have a bad feeling about Barcelona, but at the moment there has not been an offer for a contract renewal.

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Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Dinorah's opinion that Alves is the "best right-back in the world" is certainly questionable, and the player has not shown the form of previous campaigns. 

He is more prone to errors now than previously, and United fans would be concerned if the 31-year-old would be a significant upgrade on Rafael.

Jerrard Peters of Bleacher Report recently highlighted Alves' declining performance and Barca's general malaise in defence:

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

In other news, James Dickenson of the Express says Van Gaal is preparing a £150 million raid on Europe's top clubs in order to complete the rebuilding of his Red Devils.

Dickenson said LvG met with the United hierarchy on Friday to confirm his targets—with Mats Hummels and Kevin Strootman top of the agenda.

United could also move for either Seamus Coleman or Nathaniel Clyne to take over the right-back slot, with Morgan Schneiderlin also on the midfield wish list, per Dickenson.

It is doubtful United will have much room for manoeuvre during the current transfer window—January business is notoriously difficult to negotiate, with clubs in the middle of their seasons. But LvG does need to bring in recruits and he surely will be looking to strengthen in the next fortnight.

Alves has been one of the best attacking full-backs in Europe for many years—but he is not the type of player United need at present.

His shelf life in the Premier League would be relatively short given his age, and he might struggle with the physical element of English football.

Both Coleman or Clyne would make logistical sense in terms of a transfer to Old Trafford, with both players' stock on the rise—their most potent potential is still untapped and Van Gaal would improve their skill sets.