Manchester United Transfer News: Marco Reus and Mats Hummels Rumours Slammed

Manchester United continue to be linked with transfer moves for Borussia Dortmund stars Marco Reus and Mats Hummels, but the German club dismissed the persistent rumours on Sunday.

As reported by the Daily Star's Colin Harvey, general director Michael Zorc reminded everyone these kind of rumours are business as usual for Die Schwarzgelben and an indication of the strong work they have been doing with their player development:

"

It would seem that we constantly have 17 players on the verge of moving to Real Madrid or Manchester United. We have been putting up with this kind of rumours on a weekly basis for the past 4 years now.

But this at least confirms that we are working well.

"

Hummels and Reus are arguably the club's two most valuable commodities right now, and with Borussia struggling tremendously in the 2014-15 Bundesliga season, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the duo's future.

The 25-year-old Reus ranks among the top forwards in the world, according to Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, and as reported by Harvey, his contract contains a release clause of just £20 million set to activate this summer:

Because of that clause, there is some speculation Borussia could cash in on the player in January rather than watch him leave for a minimal fee during the summer transfer window.

AS (h/t 101 Great Goals) even printed a photo of the Germany international signing a Real Madrid shirt, wondering whether it could be a sign his decision had already been made:

Team-mate Hummels is Die Schwarzgelben's captain and doesn't have a clause similar to Reus' in his contract, but that hasn't stopped United fans from suggesting Louis van Gaal should make a play for the centre-back.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

The 26-year-old played a fantastic 2014 World Cup with Germany but struggled with injuries and form for his club team, and his prolonged absence has played a big part in Dortmund's slide into the relegation zone.

Sam Tighe loves what Hummels brings to the table, combining all of the physical tools required to be a top-level defender with excellent vision and passing ability:

The duo will be integral to the second half of Dortmund's 2014-15 campaign. The club is still active in the Champions League and desperately chasing another high finish on the domestic level.

Given the large amount of money it stands to lose if it fails to qualify for next year's Champions League (or misses out on any European football altogether), it would take a substantial offer to convince the club to sell either player.

Football pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft has been vocal in his belief the duo won't be leaving the club in January, and Zorc's comments are only confirmation of his beliefs:

With that said, the fact the general director refused to directly rule out a move for either player will likely only lead to even more speculation. Rumours will continue to pop up until the January window closes, at which point everyone will turn toward the summer.

An end-of-season move for one or both seems far more likely, and with several months to negotiate an exit with both the club and the player in question, don't be shocked if neither Reus nor Hummels are wearing the iconic colours of Dortmund in the 2015-16 season.

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