Manchester United Transfer News: Mats Hummels, Bastian Schweinsteiger Rumours

Throughout the 2014/15 campaign, pundits spent endless hours dissecting how Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal could go about improving his squad, with defensive positions constantly coming under the microscope.

The Red Devils were diagnosed with a rather painful bout of being without a natural-born leader at the back, with spending big in the transfer window the only known remedy.

Luckily for United, then, it appears that they’re closing in on the signature of World Cup-winning Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels.

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That’s according to Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star, who reports that the Manchester United powers that be are confident of landing the Germany international, with a £30 million fee thought to be enough to lure him to Old Trafford.

However, this all comes after Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, insisted that Hummels will remain with the Bundesliga outfit, per Sky Sports’ Pete O’Rourke:

No matter which adaptation of this seemingly everlasting rumour you believe, the temptation is very much there for the 26-year-old, with Champions League football not gracing the Westfalenstadion in the 2015/16 campaign.

Plus, United will undoubtedly give him a financial incentive to swap yellow for red, with high earners expected to leave Old Trafford and make way for new recruits, as Bleacher Report’s Ryan Bailey and Alex Dimond discussed:

It all seems rosy, then, but how often have we seen Hummels linked with a move away from his beloved Dortmund?

Too many times to recall, in truth.

His loyalty to the club may well be too difficult for even United to break, which is why James Ducker of the Times suggested that Van Gaal and co. will now be turning their attentions to Valencia centre-back Nicolas Otamendi:

Either way, one of Otamendi or Hummels appears a necessity for United. Although Chris Smalling has come along leaps and bounds in the heart of defence this season, the club are still missing a Nemanja Vidic-like figure.

Finally replacing the all-conquering Serb won’t spark the end of United’s squad issues, but it would be a great place to start.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

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Another star with a World Cup winner’s medal proudly in his possession is also reportedly on Manchester United’s radar, in the shape of Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger.

As Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News writes, the German has been given carte blanche to hand-pick the next destination of his remarkable career by manager Pep Guardiola.

Schweinsteiger has played second fiddle to Xabi Alonso in the heart of the Munich midfield this season, making just 19 league appearances, according to WhoScored.com.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

However, Guardiola still wants the 30-year-old to be part of his team next term, saying a deal is available to Schweinsteiger if he wants one, per Dawson: "My plan for the next season is Bastian Schweinsteiger is here. Schweinsteiger is an outstanding legend of Bayern Munich, he has to decide. Not Pep, not Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. If he wants to stay for three or four more years here, he can do that."

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Still, that level of uncertainty will give Van Gaal a big boost in his pursuit for the midfielder, who can still undoubtedly cut it at the highest level.

Let’s cast our minds back to last year in Brazil, when Schweinsteiger was quite simply unplayable in the heart of the Germany midfield.

Critics will say he’s coming to the end of his career and wouldn’t be worth the outlay, but the way he performed in the World Cup put all young guns to shame—even a certain Lionel Messi.

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Bayern’s loss will undoubtedly be United’s gain. It’s all just a case of persuading Schweinsteiger to make the switch.

Van Gaal will try to use his past relationship with the player to get him in red, while regular, first-team football will also be a big lure.

Much like Hummels, though, tempting Schweinsteiger to forget his loyalty to his boyhood club won’t be the easiest thing in the world.