Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Thomas Muller, Ilkay Gundogan Rumours

Manchester United are "ready" to pay £45 million for Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller, according to George Bellshaw of Metro, while Ilkay Gundogan's rumoured switch to Old Trafford is reportedly almost done.

Bellshaw cites Simon Mullock of the Daily Mirror for the original story on Muller but indicates a hefty price tag for the German World Cup winner. Mullock reports United boss Louis van Gaal wanted to offer £40 million for Muller when he arrived in Manchester last season.

Muller and Bayern boss Pep Guardiola were involved in what appeared to be a touchline argument during the club's Champions League loss to Barcelona. Mullock reports United "are looking to exploit the rift" between the two.

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Van Gaal played a key role in bringing Muller into Bayern's first team during his spell as manager. Muller has scored 19 and provided 13 assists in a combined total of 39 matches across the Bundesliga and Champions League this season, per WhoScored.com.

United desperately need pace and incision up front. While Muller isn't particularly quick, he possesses a unique style of craft. He utilises clever movement and precision dribbling skills to beat his marker, and as shown across multiple seasons, he is a clinical finisher even when stationed out wide. You can view his qualities below:

The Red Devils have never had a German player appear in the first team but could soon feature more than one. A report by the Sunday Times cites club sources when suggesting United "have a deal in place with Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to join them from Borussia Dortmund." This follows on from Sky Sports' report that he is "close" to joining the English club.

Like Muller, Gundogan is also a brains-over-brawn type of player. United have racked up plenty of possession in recent weeks without looking too dangerous—scoring only twice in four matches—but Gundogan always looks to move forward. Similar to Ander Herrera, he likes to get the ball out of his feet and progress up the pitch.

United have lacked a quality distributor during Michael Carrick's injury-filled season. Van Gaal recently suggested he is looking to find a quality alternative, per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News:

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Van Gaal's side all but confirmed Champions League qualification with their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. Fifth-placed Liverpool are six points behind with two matches remaining and have a far inferior goal difference. Only two United defeats, two Liverpool wins and a goal swing of 14 would see the Merseyside club pip United to the post.

While European football hasn't been certain all season, United's need to strengthen has. Muller would be an excellent buy for the club, although it seems unlikely he would exit the club after inking a five-year contract last summer, as reported by Sky Sports.

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Gundogan's potential move, however, makes complete sense for all parties involved. The 24-year-old has returned to full fitness after a lengthy spell of injury and needs to challenge himself against the best. With Dortmund failing to qualify for next season's Champions League, this is no longer possible at the Westfalenstadion.

Van Gaal recently proved himself a shrewd dealer with the opportunistic capture of PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him swoop in for BVB's quality midfielder.