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Manchester United transfer news: Club give green light to make £36m move for Mats Hummels in the summer

United failed in an attempt to sign Hummels last season but will look to land the 26-year-old German in the summer

Jack de Menezes

Tuesday 24 March 2015 10:36 GMT

Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund (Getty Images)

Manchester United are ready to reignite their interest in Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels following last summer’s failed attempt to bring the Germany international to the Premier League.

United’s defence has been a serious cause for concern for manager Louis van Gaal since arriving at Old Trafford last year, and it’s highly likely that it will be the first area of his side that he addresses in the summer given the club are unlikely to make Radamel Falcao’s loan move permanent.

According to the Daily Mail, the club’s hierarchy have given the green light to make a move for Hummels in order to sign the 26-year-old in the summer, although Dortmund are determined not to let their captain leave the club on the cheap.

Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

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1/21Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Gareth Bale

Manchester United would love him and some reports suggest he would be open to a return home - but Real Madrid have said they wouldn't sell the winger at any price, even the mammoth £150m that has been mentioned in recent reports.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos would be perfect for United and is one of few truly world class centre-backs around. Another player Real will not want to lose, this move may wait until the summer.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Juan Cuadrado

The Fiorentina and Colombia winger was a target of United's in the summer but a move never transpired. He is lightning quick, brilliant on the ball and gets his fair share of goals. May cost more than £30m, however.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Ashley Cole

The former Chelsea left-back was linked with a move to United last summer, but instead went to Roma. There are suggestions he is unhappy in Italy and would be open to a return to the Premier League.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Ron Vlaar

Out of contract at the end of the season and impressing in his Aston Villa shirt, Ron Vlaar could be a quick and cheap fix at the back. That he's Dutch won't do his chances of an Old Trafford switch any harm either. Picked up a knee injury in early January that will likely end speculation.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Raphael Varane

The Real Madrid centre-back has been hugely impressive since breaking through at the Bernabeu. Would take a big bid to land the young France international, but that shouldn't be a problem.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Ezequiel Garay

Manchester United are keen to bolster their Argentinian contingent and the arrival of Garay would do just that. United reportedly sent scouts to watch the Zenit St Petersburg player.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Diego Godin

Having played a central role in taking Atletico Madrid to the 2013/14 La Liga title, the Uruguay centre-back is an obvious choice as Manchester United go in search of defensive reinforcements.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Gerard Pique

He played for Manchester United before being allowed to return to his boyhood club Barcelona in 2008. But recently things have soured for the Spain international, with new Nou Camp manager Luis Enrique leaving him out a few times this season. Could he be heading back to Old Trafford again?

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Nathaniel Clyne

A call up to the England squad boosts your profile, and in the case of Clyne, it's led to inevitable speculation that he could leave Southampton. The Saints will be desperate to hold onto the young right-back, but as they found last summer, if players want to go they usually get their way.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Benedikt Howedes

The Germany international can play on the left or at centre-back and it's understood that Manchester United have sent scouts to watch the World Cup winning-defender. The versatility of the Schalke player will appeal to Van Gaal.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Mats Hummels

Another Germany international interesting United is Hummels. The centre-back was made captain at Borussia Dortmund last summer to help ward off interest from other clubs, but with the German side struggling this term, they might not be able to keep the suitors at bay next time around. A £35m offer has been heavily reported and this deal is certainly one that is the more probable to see in the near-future.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Aymeric Laporte

The Athletic Bilbao defender, who has represented France at youth level, has been impressive of late and could be a longer-term option. Reports in Spain suggest a deal is "80 per cent" complete between the two clubs and would see United land one of the best performing up-and-coming defenders in the world.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Sami Khedira

Manchester United have been linked with Khedira, but then, who hasn't? The Germany international looks certain to be playing somewhere other than Real Madrid next term, and it could be Old Trafford.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Julian Draxler

The Schalke midfielder has been interesting Europe's top clubs for some time. So far, everyone has failed in their attempts to prise the youngster away from his boyhood club. With the money at Manchester United's disposal, they could persuade Schalke to relinquish.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Paulo Dybala

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Palermo striker Paulo Dybala. The 21-year-old has been banging in the goals in Serie A this term, leading to speculation he's in line for a big move. But the Palermo president has indicated he won't be allowed to leave for anything less that £31m

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Yohan Cabaye

After leaving Newcastle for PSG, France international Cabaye has reportedly failed to settle in the French capital. That he has struggled to force his way into the starting line-up under manager Laurent Blanc hasn't helped. That could make him open to a return to the Premier League.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Marcos Reus

Another highly sought German player. With Borussia Dortmund struggling this term and no Champions League football next season a real possibility, it seems likely Reus could be sold in the summer. United will have to fight to be at the front of the queue.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Arjen Robben

The former Chelsea player has said numerous times he has no intention of leaving Bayern Munich. But then again, nothing footballers say can be taken as sacrosanct. His Dutch links and style of play make his a good fit at United.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Kevin Strootman

The Netherlands international was heavily linked with United in the summer but a serious injury ruled out the prospect of a move. The Roma midfielder has since returned to action and so the rumours have started up again. A fee of £30m has been mentioned.

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Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford

Edinson Cavani

Almost immediately following his big-money switch from Napoli to PSG, there were suggestions Cavani was unhappy in France. Those rumours haven't gone away and the Uruguay international continues to be linked with an exit. Should United pass on signing Falcao permanently, Cavani could be a good alternative.

The centre-back has appeared visibly frustrated this season given Dortmund’s troubles, ad at one point the regular title contenders were in the midst of a relegation battle as they sat bottom of the Bundesliga during the Christmas period.

Dortmund are prepared to hold out for up to £36m before allowing United to begin talks regarding a move, but the belief is that Hummels is determined to move on from the 2012-13 Champions League finalists and begin a new chapter in his career, having been part of the World Cup-winning Germany side last year.

United’s interest in Hummels stems from Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign as manager as he attended the 2011-12 German Cup final in order to take a closer look at Hummels. His talent was plain to see, with Dortmund going on to upset the odds and power past rivals Bayern Munich with a 5-2 victory to lift the trophy.

Since then though, Dortmund’s squad has been depleted of its best stars, with the likes of Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski and Shinji Kagawa – who joined United – leaving Jürgen Klopp’s side in recent years.

Kagawa left Dortmund in 2012 to join United but has since returned

Dortmund have also gone out of the Champions League following last week’s last-16 second leg defeat to Juventus, which saw them knocked out 5-1 on aggregate and end their only realistic chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Despite a long-overdue revival coming of late in the league that has lifted them to tenth thanks to wins over Hannover, Schalke and Stuttgart plus draws with FC Koln and Hamburg, the club remain 12 points behind fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen with just eight games remaining.

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