Manchester United Transfer News: Mats Hummels Deal Close, Edinson Cavani Rumours

Manchester United have been given a big boost in their continued pursuit of centre-back Mats Hummels with Borussia Dortmund reportedly prepared to listen to offers in the summer.

The Red Devils have been linked with the German World Cup winner for some time, with Louis van Gaal looking to shore up his improving but inconsistent defence.

While United have failed to prise Hummels away from Dortmund in the last two transfer windows, ESPN FC's Peter O'Rourke reports that "sources say they [Dortmund] are now weighing up their options following a disappointing season for the German giants this term."

Indeed, Dortmund are set to miss out on top European football next season, as they currently lie 10th in the Bundesliga—despite a recent surge, per German football writer Archie Rhind-Tutt—and they were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday by Juventus:

Conversely, the Red Devils took a big step toward Champions League qualification with a 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, and Hummels will surely be tempted by a switch to Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has two years left on his contract at Dortmund, and past reports have suggested he will cost United £35 million, per the Mirror's David McDonnell.

That is a large sum for a defender, but it is certainly not out of reach for United, as Ben Fairthorne, formerly of CNN and The Sun, suggests:

Hummels would add composure, experience and distribution currently lacking from United's centre-backs, with Van Gaal set to get his man in the summer.

Edinson Cavani is another potential summer arrival, with the Daily Mail's Rob Shepherd suggesting a scenario in which the Uruguayan striker moves to Old Trafford from Paris St-Germain, with Angel di Maria moving the other way.

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Certainly United could do with a new striker with Robin van Persie a shadow of his former self and loanee Radamel Falcao unlikely to stay past the end of the season.

Cavani seems eager to move away from PSG and is looking for a fresh start, according to Simon Osborn of Metro, and he certainly has the quality to excel in the Premier League, although he has only scored eight league goals this season, per WhoScored.com.

The mechanics of such a move seem unlikely, though, with United surely set to stick with Di Maria past the summer after bringing him in for £59.7 million in August, per B/R UK's Alex Dimond:

Van Gaal looks to be finally shaping a decent United team, as they have had a couple of solid results in past weeks, and some savvy summer signings could push them, once again, toward title contention.

Hummels is surely the prime target for Van Gaal as he looks to shore up his back line, and while a striker could also be on the way, Cavani seems an unlikely arrival.