£150m Transfer Budget? Top Five Players Manchester United & Van Gaal Should Target

Dutch Legend Louis Van Gaal faces a herculean task after taking charge of Manchester United after the World Cup. The Dutch Legend who ascends the managerial helm at Old Trafford has to deal with two major points of conflict in the transfer market. First, with the departure experienced players like Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra means that the entire defense needs a reshape and secondly without Champions League football, United will have to use their brand value to attract the best of the players in the market. It is believed that Van Gaal is set to be handed a whopping transfer kitty of £150m and we here at Soccersouls being football enthusiasts provide five players whom Manchester United can court in the summer.

Toni Kroos:

The German has been flirting with the Red Devils since January when David Moyes expressed his desire to sign the German midfielder. Kroos is yet to sign a contract extension at Bayern with repetitive talks coming to halts, but Van Gaal’s knowhow in Bavaria and his attacking 4-3-3 setup might entice Kroos who is perhaps on the lookout for a different challenge post the World Cup. However, will the 24 year old shun the highest echelons of Champions League football for a switch to Old Trafford?

Cesc Fabregas:

This wouldn’t be good music to Arsenal fans. However, if plain truth prevails, United have been after Fabregas since last summer and with a mass exodus set to follow at the Camp Nou outfit, there are reports in Spain that the former Arsenal midfielder might be on his way out this summer. Spanish journalist Guillem Balague explained in one of his articles for the Bleacher report, that Fabregas has a contract release clause of €40 million and anyone turning up with that figure can have him, even though his buy out clause is 200. It would be a dagger in the Gunners’ hearts if Fabregas reunites with Van Persie at Old Trafford.

Click on the next button to continue

Holger Badstuber:

Yet another German in the list and the reasons are obvious. Badstuber has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern and with several injuries proving to be a barrier, Van Gaal might persuade the 25 year old who has now fully recuperated from his injury and might be again willing to work under the former Bayern boss. United need a major reshuffle in the heart of the defense and given Badstuber’s dominating presence at the back, it would be a coup to land the German on the cheap.

Luke Shaw:

The British tabloids have already watermarked Luke Shaw’s arrival at Old Trafford in the summer. This is what the Telegraph insists, “The long-term heir apparent to Ashley Cole as left back in the England team, the teenager has been wanted by United for a while. With Patrice Evra likely to leave it’s little surprise that the club allegedly lodged a £27-million bid with Southampton shortly after the Premier League season.” No doubt Shaw has had a superb season for Southampton but if Chelsea make a last ditch attempt to lure the English international, United will be left red faced with yet another Thiago Alcantara saga. After all, Chelsea is Shaw’s boyhood club.

Mats Hummels:

Transfer rumours are meant to be no brainers, however this one carries some substance. The disintegration of Borussia Dortmund is sad  but the Westfalenstadion outfit have been primarily a selling club in their recent history.  Hummels’ career, though is far from over in Germany. The defender’s father, who is also his agent has recently come out and claimed that there have been no offers for his son, but would ‘dad’ be bold enough to reject a move to Old Trafford in the summer?