Mats Hummels, Kevin De Bruyne Top Manchester United Transfer Deadline Rumours

Manchester United are apparently keen on adding two of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents to their squad on transfer deadline day, with reports linking the Red Devils with a sensational £67 million double swoop for Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels and Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

According to Anthony Chapman of the Express—despite United manager Louis van Gaal claiming otherwise, per the club's official website—the Red Devils are keen to bolster their ranks in the the final knockings of the transfer window to give their charge toward a Champions League spot a major boost.

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Hummels is arguably the player who would make the biggest difference at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are still somewhat short of quality defensive options, and Sam Pilger of FourFourTwo claimed earlier in the window that it’s imperative Van Gaal bolsters this area before the window shuts:

Miguel Delaney of ESPN recently claimed that United are set to launch a late bid for Hummels but that it’d be a surprise if a sale went through. Indeed, with Dortmund bottom of the Bundesliga after their recent draw at Bayer Leverkusen, to let a player of Hummels’ exceptional influence leave would be a major gamble on the part of the Ruhr club.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe ran the rule over the World Cup-winning star earlier in the season:

Despite these latest rumours, football pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft remains insistent that the Dortmund man will not be going anywhere:

Arguably, a deal for the defender is the most feasible of the two aforementioned transfers. Hummels is a player who would bring a serene influence to the heart of the United defence, and if the club are willing to pay an inflated figure for his services, then Dortmund would surely seriously consider the offer. But at this late stage, getting a deal that complex over the line looks unlikely.

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The same goes for De Bruyne, who Chapman’s opines would “fit perfectly” into the diamond system that has been deployed by Van Gaal in patches so far this season. 

Here’s a look at why the former Chelsea man is now worth a reported £30 million:

Since leaving the Blues, De Bruyne has grown into one of the top young playmakers in European football. His eye for a pass, fundamental appreciation of the game and ferocity in winning the ball back makes him a key component for Wolfsburg, and these qualities were on show in earnest as the Belgian orchestrated a 4-1 win for his side against Bayern Munich in their last Bundesliga outing.

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De Bruyne is really flourishing in a team set up to accentuate his abilities, and according to Belgian football expert Kristof Terreur, he’s happy with his current employers and won’t be going anywhere:

Indeed, according to the well-informed Mark Ogden of The Telegraph, any deadline day deals for United at this juncture are looking unlikely:

While managers have gone back on their promises not to add to their ranks in the final embers of the window, Van Gaal doesn’t come across as a boss who would indulge in such mind games. The Dutchman has proved himself to be a pretty straightforward character since taking the Old Trafford hot seat, and as such, his words shouldn’t be interpreted at anything other than face value.

The club are looking likely to face a fight for their Champions League spot come the end of this campaign, so some fans will be far from sated by the lack of transfer activity. But this squad has often resembled a scattering of fractious components throughout the season. Consequently, perhaps a bit of stability is exactly what’s needed.