We try not to let ourselves get too caught up in the hype about football transfers, especially as the window approaches.
But when an accomplished broadsheet is prepared to speculate about a signing then you have to sit up and pay attention.
Despite noises from Manchester United this week that they are unlikely to spend much money in this window there was an interesting caveat to Ed Woodward’s soundbyte which was:
we have targets we are looking at for next summer.
“Should any of them become available in January, which is obviously rare, we will consider acting. But it is a low probability.”
Well Mats Hummels would currently appear to be one of those targets and The Guardian reports that Manchester United feel that they may be abel to snare him, albeit at huge expense – in January.
Louis van Gaal is exploring the possibility of signing Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels in January for what would be a British record transfer fee for a defender.
The Manchester United manager had earmarked the World Cup winner as a summer target but Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, is hopeful a deal can be done in the winter window. Dortmund may sell reluctantly, believing it would give them the best price for one of their prize assets.
The Germany international really is wonderful player who would immediately solidify and add presence to a defence completely bereft of continuity.
If Hummels were to sign for Manchester United it would simply be a case of who plays next to him, rather than bringing new partnerships together on a weekly basis. With Hummels fit Manchester United would have a wealth of options for his partner – they can pick from Evans, Jones, Smalling, Blackett, McNair, Rojo and even Daley Blind. But Hummels would bring the experience and guaranteed class to the party.
It won’t be an easy transfer to complete. Hummels has just been made captain of Borussia Dortmund and many of the top clubs in Europe are interested. But Manchester United seem to have a new policy of outspending the competition and they may be the only club prepared to pay the astronomical fees that it will take to snare him form his club.
But, if a deal can be done, it would be a huge coup and a low risk investment in one of the best defenders in Europe.