Manchester United Transfer News: Thomas Muller, Paddy McNair, Latest Rumours

Manchester United have been dealt a heavy blow in their long-rumoured pursuit of Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller with the German reportedly reaching a verbal agreement over a new deal at the Allianz Arena.

Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal has been linked with a move for Muller on numerous occasions, and Chelsea have also recently been mooted as a potential suitor, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror.

Though Muller is already contracted to Bayern until 2019, the Bundesliga champions are clearly eager to ward off any Premier League vultures and have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the 26-year-old on a new deal up to 2021, per German outlet Kicker (via James Cambridge in the Express).

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Van Gaal's excellent relationship with the forward from when he was manager at Bayern has often been touted as a potential reason why Muller might be interested in moving to Old Trafford.

But in the current climate, Muller would surely be foolish to leave Bayern for United, as the Germans are one of the top two teams in Europe, and the Red Devils are not, per Bleacher Report's European football rankings:

Muller has been in sparkling form of late—netting 13 goals in 14 Bundesliga matches, per WhoScored.com—and he would undoubtedly make a huge impact in Van Gaal's uninspiring United team.

But he is clearly loving life at Bayern under manager Pep Guardiola, per MailOnline's Jonny Singer:

"

At the moment it just feels great. We have lots of fun in the team, but as well with the coaching staff and the coach. 

If we would watch our games after we played them, it probably would be nice watching it. 

Of course you look at some scenes but you don't watch the whole 90 minutes again. It is fun on the pitch. It is fun with our fans.

"

United—and Chelsea's—ongoing pursuit of Muller is becoming ever more futile, and the hammer blow will be dealt when he finally signs a new deal with Bayern.

It seems that is becoming an ever more imminent prospect, and both clubs would be well advised to start looking elsewhere for further attacking options.

Meanwhile, United could reportedly be open to shipping centre-back Paddy McNair out on loan in January to give him more regular first-team action.

Per Steven Beacom in the Belfast Telegraph, Championship sides Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all interested in the 20-year-old, and Van Gaal "would recognise the merits of a loan move for the player's development."

However, United are currently struggling for depth in defence, with Marcos Rojo the latest to be added to the injury list, per the Mirror's Steve Bates.

If Van Gaal does not get the likes of Rojo and Phil Jones back to fitness, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to do without McNair for the second half of the season, and thus a loan move could be ruled out.