Manchester United Transfer News: Thomas Muller, Robert Lewandowski Rumours

Senior Manchester United sources have denied speculation the club have launched a £70 million attempt to bring versatile Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller to Old Trafford.

Rumours circulated by Sport1 on Monday evening suggested that United boss Louis van Gaal—who brought Muller into the Bavarian first team during his time in Germany—had sanctioned a huge deal for the German. However, David McDonnell of the Mirror reported this isn't true. Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News also believes reports are false:

B/R UK's Clark Whitney highlighted exactly why reports continue to link Van Gaal with his former player:

Van Gaal is in desperate need of a proven striker, someone to relieve some pressure from Wayne Rooney next season. Not that the manager will admit this in public. United fans have watched Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao leave without any obvious replacements coming in, but Van Gaal expects Rooney to step up when the new season begins.

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"We still have Rooney, he can play in the striker's position, and all the media had written (he can) play there so I listened," he said, reported by Jamie Jackson of the Guardian. "Also Chicharito (Javier Hernandez) and maybe (James) Wilson."

Interestingly for United fans, Van Gaal admitted the Red Devils are still looking for attacking reinforcements: "Maybe there comes a surprise," per Jackson.

United have already lured midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern this summer, a player the Bundesliga champions have seemingly replaced with Juventus' Arturo Vidal, reported Marcus Christenson and Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian.

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Yet, letting Muller leave is a step too far for Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, according to former United youth player Markus Neumayr, who also thinks his old team will fail to land striker Robert Lewandowski from the Allianz Arena.

Neamayr spoke to RetroUnited.com (h/t Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star):

"

Muller and Lewandowski are both players who are capable of playing in England, but I think Bayern will not let them go for all the money in the world. 

The transfer from Schweinsteiger has already brought critical press to Guardiola and the fans also seem to blame Guardiola in selling Schweinsteiger. For this reason I think it is impossible to see any other vital player of Bayern Munich leaving for United.

"

Cezary Kucharski, Lewandowski's agent, told Polish TV it would take an offer of "higher than £35 million" to sign the Polish striker, reported Kevin Palmer of the Sunday World. However, Bundesliga pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft thinks Kucharski is calculated in what he says:

B/R UK's Sam Tighe suggested Lewandowski is the striker United should shell out for:

United continue to be linked with Barcelona's Pedro, reported Marca (h/t Liam Corless of the Mirror). Although he can take on a striker's role, he isn't the out-and-out goalscorer Van Gaal needs ahead of United's assault across four competitions next season.

The club has enjoyed an excellent transfer window so far, signing Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, but adding a prolific front man and dominant centre-back is still essential. Van Gaal isn't giving much away at this point, but he can be expected to spend lavishly in the coming weeks.