At present, our resident Manchester United fans are completing something of a daily ritual here in the Football Transfer Tavern.
Every morning around 10pm, a series of Red Devils fans arrive at the bar on their smartphones, constantly trawling Twitter and the various news outlets to catch the latest on Ilkay Gundogan’s impending move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United.
There is intense speculation that the German international will be Louis van Gaal’s second big name arrival at Old Trafford this summer following the news released a few weeks ago that Memphis Depay will be their first incoming in preparation for the 2015/16 campaign.
With United still favourites to clinch the signature of Gundogan and no rival interest in sight, our resident Red Devils are purring over the idea of a midfield that includes the German in tandem with Ander Herrera, Daley Blind and Angel Di Maria.
Gundogan is a box-to-box midfielder revered for his energetic running ability and stamina although United fans will hope that he has overcome his injury troubles prior to sealing his potential switch to Old Trafford.
If like we are led to believe that Gundogan’s transfer is now a mere formality, who else could be joining him in Manchester next season however?
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Click on Ander Herrera below to reveal the 5 Manchester United transfers waiting to happen after Ilkay Gundogan’s arrival.
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Hugo Lloris
If Gundogan’s transfer to Old Trafford can be branded a formality, the same can surely be said for David De Gea who is expected by everybody to be signing for Real Madrid over the next month or so.
When this move is sealed, Louis van Gaal will have a big decision to make – stick with Victor Valdes as United’s new number one or splash a handsome fee on a new world class stopper?
If the Dutchman opts for the latter approach, he could do a lot worse than landing Tottenham’s outstanding French international Hugo Lloris.
The former Lyon man is reportedly mulling over his future at present and with Tottenham seemingly going nowhere fast, perhaps this summer is the time in which the goalkeeper steps up a level or two by signing for United.
Say United receive a fee upwards or around £30 million for De Gea, perhaps this is best reinvested straight away in the services of Lloris?
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Most recently linked with a summer switch to Manchester United has been Bayern Munich stalwart Bastian Schweinsteiger.
According to Metro, van Gaal is willing to sanction a £10 million bid to the Bavarian giants for the services of the one club man and World Cup winner.
Schweinsteiger has of course just landed his eighth Bundesliga title under Pep Guardiola but the latest is that the midfielder isn’t content as he once was under the Spanish tactician.
If there is any truth in these rumours, perhaps it could be to United’s advantage with fellow reports from the Daily Star claiming that despite Gundogan probably arriving at Old Trafford, the Red Devils are willing to pursue a double deal for the German pair.
Nicolas Otamendi
All of our Manchester United fans in the tavern are in agreement that a new top quality centre half should be at the forefront of Louis van Gaal’s plans in the transfer market this summer.
With Jonny Evans potentially set to depart and Chris Smalling and Phil Jones improving but still suspect to the odd calamity, a sturdy addition is what most Red Devils fans crave right now.
One man who has been intensely linked with and Old Trafford switch has been Valencia centre half Nicolas Otamendi.
Otamendi is a tough and uncompromising kind of character but if United are to get their hands on Marcos Rojo’s international team-mate, they will have to pay an absolutely huge fee of £35.9 million to prise him away from the Mestalla, that is according to Metro.
Daniel Alves
Currently enduring a contractual stand-off with Barcelona, Daniel Alves’ immediate future at domestic level is very much unclear.
Still forging an instrumental part of Luis Enrique’s squad in a potential treble winning season, there is still no doubting the Brazilian’s ability.
The 32-year-old is reportedly high up on United’s list of transfer targets this summer with Rafael out in the cold after injury and Antonio Valencia not a right back by trade despite completing a good job in the position.
Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne represents a sound alternative to Alves if indeed he does resolve his dispute with Barca as you’d probably expect but our resident Red Devils fans would want to sign him on one condition – that he cuts off his absolutely stupid latest effort of a haircut!
Morgan Schneiderlin
If you thought Morgan Schneiderlin’s summer transfer to Arsenal was a formality, think again.
That is according to the latest reports from the Daily Mail who claim that is indeed Manchester United who are in the box seat to sign the French international this summer.
While you’d imagine that if Gundogan was signed, there wouldn’t be a need for Schneiderlin, Manchester United did lose Darren Fletcher in the January transfer window while not replacing him so perhaps there could yet be room for the Southampton star as well.
The rumour is that Schneiderlin has told friends that he is keen on an Old Trafford switch ahead of alternative transfers and this is music to the ears of our resident Red Devils.
