What’s £150 million to a club like Manchester United? Apparently nothing, because after spending that world record amount in the just concluded summer transfer window the Red Devils spending may not be done.
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According to a report by The Telegraph in the UK, the board of Manchester United has given manager Louis Van Gaal the go-ahead to continue spending as needed during the next transfer window.
Van Gaal apparently isn’t done transforming the squad in his image despite the record amount spent this summer. Starting with a loss and two draws (against Sunderland and Burnley) clearly has given the highly regarded manager the ammunition needed to continue making changes.
Manchester United aren’t playing in Europe this season, and clearly the club’s hierarchy are desperate to build the club back to the Champions League and the money that comes with making it to European club competitions.
The report indicates that Van Gaal is targeting three players ahead of the January transfer window — Kevin Strootman, Mats Hummels and Marcos Reus.
It appears that the No. 1 target is Strootman, a 24-year-0ld midfielder with Roma. Van Gaal should be familiar with what Strootman is capable of, having managed the youngster with the Dutch national team.
Hummels has long been a target of Manchester United, who were rebuffed by his current club, Borussia Dortmund, this summer. Given the defensive struggles early on this season, adding a quality defender in January is going to be a top priority no matter what.
What has become clear throughout the summer and into the early part of the season is that Van Gaal is committed to a youth movement at Manchester United. Adding 24 and 25-year-old players as reinforcements would be a huge help in turning the roster over, especially with the departures of Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck before the transfer deadline.