Manchester United set to splash out £150m
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal, waving to the crowd, looks set to continue an overhaul of his squad
Manchester United are ready to spend another £150million next summer to complete the Gaal-actico revolution at Old Trafford.
United are convinced they are heading in the right direction under Louis van Gaal and want to copy the Real Madrid blueprint by having an elite player in every position.
After backing the Dutchman by making six signings last summer — including smashing the British transfer record to sign Angel di Maria for £59.7m — the club are preparing for another massive investment, with senior sources insisting that the rebuilding has only just begun.
Bayern Munich and Holland star Arjen Robben is a potential target of Van Gaal's at Old Trafford
United have spent £215m on players since September 2013 in a bid to reverse the alarming decline of the past 18 months, and another spree on the scale of last summer would take their investment beyond £350m.
Van Gaal has made centre back, right back and winger his main target areas. United have not ruled out making signings in the January transfer window — as was the case with Juan Mata’s £37.1m arrival from Chelsea at the start of this year — but suspect they will have to wait until the summer to find the right players.
The list includes Barcelona right back Dani Alves, Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, central defenders Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund and Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid, and Roma defensive midfielder Kevin Strootman.
Roma's Kevin Strootman (left) and Barcelona's Dani Alves could be set for moves to Man United
As Borussia Dortmund struggle at the bottom of Bundesliga, Mats Hummels could seek a transfer
Atletico Madrid centre back Diego Godin has been highlighted as a transfer target at OId Trafford
United also have a big decision to make over striker Radamel Falcao, who will cost a further £46m on top of his £6m loan fee if his move from Monaco is made permanent. The Colombia striker has struggled with injury so far, scoring just once. A fresh influx of signings will be followed by another major clear-out after 20 players were cut from the first-team squad last summer.
Reserve goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard could be the first to go in January, paving the way for United to offer a contract to former Barcelona No 1 Victor Valdes who has been training at Carrington as he recuperates from a serious knee-ligament injury.
United have decided to keep Anderson until the end of his contract in the summer rather than give him a £1.4m pay-off next month, but a number of Brazilian clubs are interested in taking the midfielder back to his homeland and Old Trafford sources are optimistic a buyer can be found.
Striker Radamel Falcao needs to prove his fitness in order to force a permanent move to Manchester United
Mexican Javier Hernandez celebrates scoring for Real Madrid, where he is on loan this season
Robin van Persie, who has one year left on his contract, has only scored four goals for United this season
Nani has been in impressive form on loan at Sporting Lisbon but United are unlikely to recall the Portugal winger and will look to sell to any club prepared to take on his wages of £120,000 a week.
Javier Hernandez, Tom Cleverley, Wilfried Zaha and Nick Powell are also out on loan and unlikely to return. Darren Fletcher is out of contract at the end of the season, while Robin van Persie, Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Rafael will have one year left on their deals.
It means that up to 10 players could leave Old Trafford in addition to last summer’s exodus. That represents a massive turnover for a club that grew accustomed to stability under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Chris Smalling (top) could be one of 10 Manchester United players to leave the club in January or the summer
Juan Mata , who has recently regained his top form, was a January window signing from Chelsea this year
However, United are satisfied with the way Van Gaal has overhauled the squad and remain confident they can return to the European elite with the right investment and approach.
Despite a poor start, the new manager has taken his team into fourth place in the Premier League table after signing Di Maria, Falcao, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw in the summer.
Two players United do want to keep are goalkeeper David de Gea and Michael Carrick. De Gea has matured into one of the best goalkeepers in Europe since joining United in the summer of 2011 but the Spaniard will be out of contract in 18 months time.
Goalkeeper David de Gea has been in inspirational form Manchester United so far this season
That has alerted Real Madrid but a United source insisted they are ‘completely relaxed’ over De Gea’s situation, even though negotiations with his representatives have yet to begin in earnest.
The club also have an option to extend Carrick’s contract by a further 12 months and seem likely to do so following the veteran midfielder’s return from ankle surgery.
Meanwhile, United have yet to decide whether to arrange a prestige friendly abroad or a warm-weather training trip to the Middle East in January and will leave the final decision to Van Gaal.
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