Manchester United Transfer News: Gareth Bale, Harry Kane Top Summer Target List

The latest speculation insists Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will make a move on the signatures of British trio Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling this summer.

According to the Daily Mail (h/t the Daily Star's Rhys Turrell), it could take a summer spending spree of more than £170 million for the Red Devils to land the three superstar names.

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Per Turrell's report, it's supposed that Bale would be valued at around £80 million, while Kane and Sterling could go for sums of £40 million and £50 million, respectively.

However, AS (h/t Metro.co.uk's George Bellshaw) reports the English giants have begun negotiations for Bale with a £46 million offer:

Van Gaal's preferred system during his maiden Premier League campaign saw United opt to go without traditional wingers for the majority of their campaign, but that could be about to change at Old Trafford.

The deal taking Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United could stand as a sign Van Gaal is looking for more conventional wide men, and Bale's struggles at Real Madrid this season may make him a likeable target.

Despite failing to reach the same heights of his first campaign in the Spanish capital, Bale hasn't been far short of James Rodriguez's standards this season, as outlined by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC:

Tottenham Hotspur won't be overjoyed to see striker sensation Kane hitting the headlines as he prepares for a key summer of preparation following his breakout campaign in the English top flight.

Having bagged 31 goals across all competitions this term, though, the England forward isn't set on pulling any punches in the future and already says he can break new ground in 2015-16, per the Mirror's David Anderson:

"

It’s down to me. I’m a hard worker, I’m always going to try and improve and progress. 

That’s all I have to focus on, how I can get better and do even better next season. 

That’s down to me and hopefully we can do better as a team.

...

Obviously it has been an unbelievable season and definitely one I won’t forget. But I have a long way to go, next season I have to try to do even better.

"

With Radamel Falcao's loan spell from Monaco having reached its end and the future looking slightly uncertain for Robin van Persie, Kane stands to be an expected target for Manchester United.

The 21-year-old started his season just as it began, by netting a 1-0 winner over Everton on Friday and earning the praise of Goal's Liam Twomey in the process:

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is sure to guard Kane's signature with all he can, however, with Tottenham having finally found the reliable striker they've been seeking for so long.

One might suggest Kane would be silly to leave White Hart Lane just when an assured foundation of first-team football has been built up around him, compared to the heavy competition on hand at Old Trafford.

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Depending on how dire United feel their need for a striker is, Spurs could come to find their talisman's services under serious threat. There might be only so much resistance they can put up against such an overwhelming power.

Finally, United will attempt to fight the odds in their pursuit of Liverpool's wantaway winger Sterling, who could depart Anfield following confirmation he won't be penning a new deal with the club.

Writing for the Liverpool Echo, ex-Red Mark Lawrenson voiced his opinion that Liverpool should look to cash in now rather than hang on to a player who no longer wants to be a part of the club:

"

Let’s face it, amid all the chatter from Sterling and his agent, there have been enough chances for the player to say he wants to stay. 

It’s clear he doesn’t. 

The warning signs were there earlier in the year when Sterling said he wanted to put his contract talks on hold. 

Look, it’s Sterling’s right to want to move.

The mistake that’s been made is he hasn’t come out and said the reason he wants to leave is because he wants to play Champions League. 

If he’d done that, fans would not be overly impressed but at least they’d understand it better. That, after all, is what Suarez wanted.

Instead, the whole situation has descended into a farce. And you have to point the finger at his representative for that. He’s made a difficult situation even worse. 

Sterling would be best served just to come clean and say publicly that he doesn’t want to play for Liverpool any more.

"

Even if a departure were to come to fruition, however, it seems unlikely the Merseysiders would package up their attacker and send him on the short trip to Manchester, given their history as rivals.

Sterling played no part in Liverpool's 6-1 dismantling at Stoke City's hands on the final day of the season, with Brendan Rodgers explaining his decision to bench the youngster to ESPN FC:

Even if United were to put up the £50 million prescribed by Turrell as the fee needed to lure Sterling, it seems unlikely Liverpool would sell—especially considering how close the two sides were in competition for patches of this season.

It would be considered a major power play on Van Gaal's behalf if the Red Devils were to pull off such a deal, but one has to question just how coveted a player Sterling is at present.

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His reluctance to sign a new deal at Anfield combined with an open media profile may make the 20-year-old undesirable to some.

But with UEFA Champions League football back on their radar, United may feel the player's substantial investment is a risk worth taking. Another summer of big investment would appear to lie ahead for United.