Manchester United Transfer News: Rumours on Huge Deals Eyed by Louis van Gaal

Manchester United are set to go head-to-head with Liverpool in an attempt to bring Memphis Depay to the Premier League, with reports suggesting that the Red Devils are currently in pole position to capture the Dutch starlet.

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That’s according to Simon Mullock of the Daily Mirror, who claims that the Anfield outfit will only go up to £20 million in their bidding, while the Red Devils will match PSV Eindhoven’s asking price of £25 million. The piece also claims that United boss Louis van Gaal will use his relationship with PSV technical director Marcel Brands to get a deal done.

Here’s a look at why some of English football’s biggest names are in for the 21-year-old:

Depay burst onto our screens at the World Cup for the Netherlands last summer under the tutelage of Van Gaal. In Brazil, he turned in a clutch of classy and adaptable performances for the Oranje, and the momentum accrued from that superb tournament has continued on the domestic front.

As noted by WhoScored, he’s enjoying a fantastic campaign for PSV:

At the moment, PSV are poised to romp to the Eredivisie title, and Depay has been central to the progress of this effervescent young side. But such is his talent and recent progression, it’d be a major surprise if he remained in the Dutch top flight next season. For United, he’d be a fantastic acquisition too.

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Dutch football expert Elko Born thinks that the Dutchman would flourish in the Premier League:

One thing United have been lacking this season is a vibrant and incisive presence out on the flanks. Depay remains a little rough around the edges but is a player who is capable of adding a capricious streak to the team’s play. Given his familiarity with Van Gaal, would surely blossom into a wonderful player at Old Trafford.

All the requisite qualities are there for Depay to grow into a world star. While some players have struggled to make the transition between the Eredivisie and Premier League in campaigns gone by, the PSV man seems as though he has all the class adapt to the ferocious tempo of English football.

United to Swoop for Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani

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According to Steve Bates of the Daily Mirror, the Red Devils are willing to spend £57 million on Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva as they attempt to lure the Paris Saint-Germain pair to Old Trafford in the summer window.

The piece claims that Van Gaal sees 30-year-old Silva as an excellent alternative should a deal for Mats Hummels not materialise. Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe took a look at some other players who could potentially bolster the United defence this summer:

Focusing on Silva first, the Brazilian would be a superb purchase. He's a combative presence at the back, a wonderful reader of the game and a fine distributor of the ball.

According to Bates, while the Red Devils would face a tough task in prising him away from Paris this summer, the club are "hopeful" and willing to offer Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez, Rafael or Nani as a potential makeweight in a deal.

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As noted here by Squawka Football last month, Silva boasts some magnificent fundamental defensive skills:

At the sharp end of the pitch, Cavani would also be an intriguing signing. The Uruguayan would add some dynamism to a United lineup that has been a little one-dimensional at times this season. And given he's often shunted out onto the wing to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a move away from the club could suit him.

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Nonetheles, despite the former Napoli man's obvious quality, James Robson of the Manchester Evening News doesn't necessarily think the forward is the right fit for United:

Of the pair, Cavani is the most realistic target. The player's agent has hinted at a summer transfer, per Chris Davie of Goal.com, and while he isn't the most refined finisher, the 28-year-old would add a dynamism to United's forward forays. You suspect he may cost a sizable amount but could be the player the Red Devils need to replenish their attacking options.

While Cavani has been in and out of the side this season for PSG, Silva is a critical cog in the French champions' team. Skippering the side, leading by example at the back and galvanising those around him, the Brazilian is arguably the most important player in Laurent Blanc's setup and as such, it's extremely difficult to see the Parisians agreeing to a sale.