Manchester United Transfer News: Rumours on Big-Money Deals Eyed by Red Devils

Manchester United’s resurgence under Louis van Gaal is testament to the manager’s tactical nous, and with Champions League football once again on the horizon, things are only looking up for the Red Devils.

However, do United have a squad that’s good enough to mix it with Europe’s elite without leaving each encounter with faces as red as their shirts?

Time will undoubtedly tell, but Van Gaal isn’t the kind of man to leave that to chance—he wants to add extra doses of quality to his squad to be sure of his side’s credentials. Here are the latest stars emerging from the United rumour mill.

Kevin de Bruyne

Michel Spingler/Associated Press

Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne left Chelsea in the summer with the tag of "overrated" lingering over his head, but he’s more than proved the doubters wrong with a remarkable season for Wolfsburg.

According to WhoScored.com, the 23-year-old has chalked up 14 goals and a whopping 22 assists for the Bundesliga outfit this term, and it’s exactly that kind of brilliance that has put him on the radar of United.

Recent developments mean that the Red Devils will now be on red alert as to the availability of De Bruyne, too, after his agent Patrick De Koster told Europa Calcio that his man could well depart Wolfsburg in the summer—via Lewis Rudd of Metro:

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This could be his last season at Wolfsburg. Currently the only club we have talked to regarding his future is the German side (Wolfsburg). His value is higher than €30 million (£21 million) but you can’t take anything for granted in football.

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Michael Sohn/Associated Press

By today’s standards, £21 million for a player of De Bruyne’s calibre looks like a bargain, and United could well bite Wolfburg’s hand off for the midfielder.

However, they’re likely to face competition in the race for his signature, as Italian giants Juventus are also in line to sign him, according to De Koster, per Football Italia:

“There are several interesting teams in Italy, such as Juventus who are a fantastic club.”

Rudd wrote that Bayern Munich and De Bruyne’s former club Chelsea are also looking to bring him in, and if the latter happens, it would represent a dramatic U-turn for Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

Bleacher Report UK poked fun at the Portuguese manager, who seemingly made a big mistake letting the Belgian go:

The lack of first-team football at Stamford Bridge drove De Bruyne to the exit door, but can Manchester United provide the minutes he requires?

The good thing about the 23-year-old is that he can operate anywhere across the midfield, but with the class at United’s disposal, regular football isn’t promised to any player.

Just look at Angel Di Maria—bought for just under £60 million and heralded as one of the best in the business, now warming a bench at Old Trafford.

De Bruyne may well look at the Argentinian as an example of what life in Manchester will be like, and that will hardly make him start packing his bags.

It’s up to Van Gaal’s powers of persuasion, then, to get the exciting midfielder in red. But based on United’s depth and class in the advanced positions, it doesn’t look likely.

Danny Ings

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

From a household name in European football to one just arriving on the scene now, as rumours of Burnley striker Danny Ings heading to Old Trafford continue to pile up.

Mark Ogden of the Daily Telegraph reports that Van Gaal is looking to foil Liverpool’s pursuit of the striker by persuading him to join the Red Devils.

Ings, who has scored nine Premier League goals this season, according to WhoScored.com, is out of contract at Turf Moor in the summer, although whoever secures his signature will have to pay around £5 million in compensation to the club.

It would be very difficult for the 23-year-old to turn down a move to Old Trafford, naturally, but just how necessary a signing would he be for the Red Devils?

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Ings is a player with plenty of room for progression. In no way is he up there with the best front men in the division—the likes of Wayne Rooney, Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero—but the fact that he could be is an exciting prospect.

However, he needs game time to develop, and that’s something Manchester United won’t be able to offer him week in, week out.

Before people start moaning and saying Ings "isn’t good enough to be a United player," let’s highlight Marouane Fellaini’s progress this season.

When David Moyes brought the former Everton man to Old Trafford, he suffered endless criticism—and the performances didn’t exactly help his cause.

Now, though, he’s one of the first names on Van Gaal’s team sheet, and Bleacher Report’s Adam Lefkoe chatted with the Daily Telegraph’s Thom Gibbs about how big a player he is:

Should Ings head to Old Trafford, he’s unlikely to set the world alight straight away, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t do it.

Should United be aiming higher, though?

Sure, aiming higher and taking in players like Radamel Falcao doesn’t always work, but with United set to be a Champions League side next season, they need serious class in their ranks.

In the case of Ings, signing him for free and sending him out on loan could be the best idea for his development and for United to get the best out of him. But with Liverpool lingering and desperately needing a new front man, Ings’ arm could be twisted.