Manchester United Transfer News: Brendan Galloway Eyed, Ander Herrera Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on young Everton starlet Brendan Galloway, who could be a transfer target as both a long-term project and an immediate replacement for the injured Luke Shaw.

That's according to the Daily Mirror, who claim the Red Devils have noticed the teenager's superb form and could test the Toffees' resolve with a bid in January.

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Galloway moved to Goodison Park in 2014 and has established himself as a prime prospect as an injury replacement for Leighton Baines, whose 2015-16 campaign hasn't gone according to plan.

And things could get a lot worse for the England international with the way the youngster is playing. Manager Roberto Martinez didn't sound like a man planning on cutting back his his playing time after the 1-1 draw in the derby against Liverpool, per the club's official website:

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It was an inexperienced back four against a difficult tactical challenge and to see us working as well as we did, it was impressive.

[…] Brendan Galloway is still a teenager but is someone that brings a smile to your face when he gets on the ball and then the partnership between Ramiro Funes Mori and Phil Jagielka looked like they had been playing together for years.

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BBC Sport's Phil McNulty was also impressed:

Galloway is a defence-first full-back, unlike Shaw, and has started seven of Everton's Premier League fixtures so far, per WhoScored.com. He's a solid athlete with excellent vision for such a young player, and he only seems to be scratching the surface of his potential.

A January move could be a possibility, although it's hard to see manager Louis van Gaal pushing hard for his services. After all, Shaw remains one of the best young left-backs in the world, and United don't need to bring in another youngster for the same position.

What they do need is an impact player who can provide quality performances for the rest of the 2015-16 campaign, and given Galloway's small sample size of performances and the obvious learning curve still ahead of him, he may not be the ideal option.

Everton have proved difficult to negotiate with when it comes to their young defenders, and they did everything possible to avoid losing John Stones during the summer, via Sky Sports. Galloway would't come cheaply, and would likely be too expensive for a player who figures to be a backup once Shaw returns from injury.

Galloway's emergence has been a fantastic story, and Everton fans likely can't wait to see what's next for the talented youngster. As of right now, the immediate future doesn't seem to include a move to Old Trafford.

Barcelona Want Ander Herrera?

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Ander Herrera can't seem to find any consistent playing time at Old Trafford, but according to Tom Hopkins of the Daily Mirror, that won't stop European champions Barcelona from making an attempt to sign him in January.

The Blaugrana will be free to sign new players, as their transfer embargo has been lifted, and Herrera reportedly sits high on the list of potential targets:

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Herrera, who cost United £29 million when he joined from Atletico Bilbao, has been on Barcelona’s radar for years and his recent games have been watched by Nou Camp spies.

The player is aware of Barcelona’s interest but there are no plans to think about his future for at least a couple of months when he will have a much better idea of how he fits into Louis van Gaal’s plans at Old Trafford.

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The 26-year-old has started just two Premier League matches for the Red Devils in 2015-16, per WhoScored.com, and doesn't seem to be a major part of Van Gaal's plans.

He remains eager to join the Spanish national team, however, as he told MUTV (h/t Adam Marshall of the club's official website):

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Of course, I wish for it. It's the next step for me. When you arrive at Manchester United, you are now in the biggest club with the best supporters and maybe the most followed club in the world. 

[...] I know we have, in Spain, maybe the best midfielders in the world right now but I think I have the quality to be in the national team. I will fight for it. I fought last season for that and I am trying to do it again. I think I have the quality to be in it and I am showing that.

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Herrera's chances of breaking into the La Roja squad aren't very good as long as he doesn't play, so a move away from Old Trafford in the near future shouldn't be ruled out.

It's hard to see how a transfer to Barcelona would help, however. The Catalans have an impressive amount of talent in midfield, with the likes of Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic, and Arda Turan will join the list of eligible players in January.

Exactly why the Blaugrana would be interested in a midfielder who can't even crack United's starting XI on a consistent basis is unclear, and a January move is highly unlikely.

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