Manchester United’s spending power in 2014 took even the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City by surprise. There was a fear that given the Red Devils failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, they may fail to attract the top talents to Old Trafford.
Brendan Rodgers smugly suggested as much towards the end of last season and was made to look all the more foolish when United brought in Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao whilst the Liverpool boss settled for Lazar Markovic and Rickie Lambert.
United have spent more than £200 million in the last 12 months in a bid to get back to where they were before Sir Alex Ferguson opted for a career in publishing and his eventual replacement Louis van Gaal seems to be getting things back on track.
The Red Devils currently occupy third place in the Premier League and whilst a title push may be beyond them this season, a couple of top class additions this winter will see them amongst the favourites again when the 2015/16 campaign gets underway.
But with massive spending power comes massive speculation, some of which falls into the ‘never going to happen’ category.
Here we have gone through the rumours and identified five deals we can’t see happening at Old Trafford this month.
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Click on Louis van Gaal to reveal 5 Manchester United rumours that simply WON’T happen this month.
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Gareth Bale
Manchester United have spent some huge money on some world class players over the last 12 months but £100 million for Gareth Bale is surely pushing things a bit far?
Reports suggest Real Madrid are ready to sell the Welshman just 18 months after paying a world record fee for his services, in order to fund moves for both Marco Reus and Sergio Aguero.
But last week reports emerged suggesting the former Tottenham man has been offered an improved contract at the Bernabeu making the prospect of a second world record transfer for the 25-year-old this month highly unlikely.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a return to Manchester United in almost every transfer window since he departed the club in 2008.
Some reports in the build up to January went as far as suggesting United already had a deal in place with Real Madrid to bring their former hero home but those stories have since been quashed with Real Madrid insisting the Portuguese superstar will finish his career in the Spanish capital.
With all these Galactico’s being linked with a move to Old Trafford, you wonder if everyone has forgotten Financial Fair Play has also been introduced when it comes to Manchester United?
Raphael Varane
If all the transfer rumours concering Manchester United were true, they may as well rename themselves Real Madrid. French international defender Raphael Varane is the latest player from the Bernabeu to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, all for a reported £20 million.
Varane is regarded as one of the best young defenders in world football so it would be a mystery as to why Real Madrid would want to sell, especially at the half way point of the season and for just £20million – put into context by the fact that is the same amount Liverpool paid Southampton for Dejan Lovren in the summer.
Seamus Coleman
Seamus Coleman has established himself as one of the best right backs in the Premier League over the past 12 months and his performances have captured the attention of Manchester United.
But Everton have endured a wretched first half to the 2014/15 season and Toffees manager Roberto Martinez and chairman Bill Kenwright are well aware what selling one of their prized assets at the midway point of the season could make their season even worse.
They have stood firm in the past when United were chasing Leighton Baines and we expect them to do the same this month should United come calling for Coleman.
Paul Pogba
The decision to allow Paul Pogba to leave Old Trafford has been haunting Manchester United for some time and every transfer window it seems the Red Devils try and rectify what was described as ‘Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest mistake’.
It is obviously something United are desperate to put right – it must be if it’s a mistake bigger than the decision to sign Eric Djemba-Djemba – but Juventus are having none of it.
Maybe someone should tell those at United that mistakes happen – even under Fergie – and perhaps it is time to just let this one go!
