Manchester United transfer rumours and news: Pep Guardiola talks denied, Felipe Anderson move off, Renato Sanches stir

Who's been linked with a move to Old Trafford today?

Anderson scored eight goals for Lazio last season (Getty Images)

Far from piping hot transfer gossip, it seems like talk of any comings and goings at Manchester United may just have cooled.

According to the Daily Mirror, club officials have put all immediate transfer business on hold as speculation surrounding the future of manager Louis van Gaal persists.

While the Dutchman is in no immediate danger, his long-term future at Old Trafford remains far from secure and he will not survive in the job if his side fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The same report claims that United were looking into signing Lazio attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson this month, only for any move to be postponed until Van Gaal’s future is resolved.

If we are to believe Bleacher Report, however, that deal may be off all together.

Anderson’s form in Serie A this term has been patchy at best, with him having scored just six times in 27 appearances, and Ed Woodward is now reluctant to meet the £35million price tag.

A more likely signing is Renato Sanches, whose social media activity has excited some eagle-eyed supporters.

As the Manchester Evening News reports, Benfica’s young midfielder fuelled speculation of a move to Old Trafford by replying to an Instagram video of a luxury car posted by United youth team player Demetri Mitchell with two ‘OK sign’ emojis.

Yes, it really has come to this. In any case, Mitchell, who has played against Sanches at Under-17 international level, later deleted the video.

One man who is all but out of the door is Victor Valdes.

The Spaniard is set to bring his Old Trafford exile to an end by moving to Standard Liege on loan and, yesterday, he tweeted a message of thanks to the club’s supporters.

If only he’d stuck it out a bit longer, his United career may have been saved by former boss Pep Guardiola.

The club have moved quickly to deny that they met the Bayern Munich head coach in Paris last week, following France Football’s reports of a secret rendezvous.

The 45-year-old recently told journalists he has had a number of offers from England, with rivals Manchester City mooted as his most likely destination,