Manchester United Transfer News: Ilkay Gundogan and Edinson Cavani Double Blow

Bayern Munich are ready to end Manchester United's hopes of signing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, according to reports in Germany. 

The Red Devils' hopes of snapping up Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani have also appeared to lessen after the French club's owner, Nasser Al Khelaifi, reiterated the Uruguayan is going nowhere.

Gundogan, who was reported to be "close" to an Old Trafford switch by Sky Sports, is now capturing interest from Bayern, according to Bild. Bundesliga pundit and former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft provided comment:

Football writer SamuelJayC further detailed the Bild report:

Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc previously confirmed a decision on Gundogan's future will be made quickly, telling Kicker (h/t Ben Grounds of the MailOnline): "Gundogan's situation isn't straightforward, because his contract expires in 2016. There will be a decision soon."

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Bayern boss Pep Guardiola will likely receive a good look at Gundogan during Tuesday's DFB Pokal tie with BVB. The versatile midfielder is an excellent passer, loves to dribble beyond opponents and works hard to win the ball back. As such, he could fit into most midfield setups.

If Gundogan is to leave, Dortmund fans will no doubt hope it's to anyone other than Bayern. Not only would his arrival strengthen their grip on the Bundesliga, Gundogan would be the third high-profile Dortmund-based talent to join the Bavarian club in two years. Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski haven't looked back since departing.

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United's need for quality across the board was underlined with recent away defeats to Chelsea and Everton. Gundogan is an ideal candidate to dictate the flow of possession in midfield, but the club would still need a striker to break beyond the opposition's back line. According to Neil Fissler of the Express, Cavani continues to be linked, but Al Khelaifi doesn't see the player leaving, per Le Parisien, tweeted by Get French Football:

Le Parisien (h/t George Bellshaw of the Metro) recently provided quotes from "a source close to Cavani," who suggested the player is unhappy playing wide in Laurent Blanc's 4-3-3:

"

There is no question that he will not stay one more season if the sporting situation doesn’t change. This is the bottom line. Edinson understood that, in the interests of the team, he had to play on the right side and he has done that for two years now. But that’s not to say that the position suits him.

"

With this in mind, Jonathan Johnson of Bleacher Report UK provided information which could aid United's reported quest to sign the player:

B/R UK's Matteo Bonetti recently looked at how United boss Louis van Gaal can build a title-challenging team:

Signing both Gundogan and Cavani would signal United's intent. The club can expect Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool to continue strengthening when the season ends, so big-money investment is needed to maintain pace with the division's best.

Bayern are likely to represent a real temptation for Gundogan if they're seriously interested, particularly as the newly crowned champions are destined to continue blitzing their way through the Bundesliga. United offers the greater challenge, and perhaps greater reward, so the 24-year-old may be tempted by the opportunity to become a hero in England.