Rumour: Louis van Gaal hands Manchester United 4 man wish-list for the summer transfer window

Ryan Giggs may have led Manchester United to an impressive 4-0 victory against Norwich in his opening game in temporary charge of the club following the sacking of David Moyes but Louis van Gaal remains the bookmakers favourite.The Netherlands manager, who is leaving the national team post after the World Cup this summer, has reportedly held ‘positive talks’ with the Red Devils about taking over after the tournament finishes. Van Gaal is no stranger to managing a club the size of United, having managed and been hugely successful with the likes of Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the past, so should be capable of slotting straight into the role with ease.

Should he take over, there is a huge re-building job to carry out, with deadwood rife in the ranks at Old Trafford and many senior players, including Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra on the verge of leaving the club. In Vidic’s case, he has already agreed to join Inter Milan, meaning not only will he need replacing but a new captain will also have to be chosen when the new manager takes over.

If, as expected, Van Gaal is given the reins at Old Trafford, he is likely to be given a huge transfer kitty to aid him in carrying out the rebuild.

According to the Mirror, the 62-year-old Dutchman will move to United with four major transfer targets in mind. Let’s take a look at who these four players are and how they would fit in, in this new era at Man Utd.

Kevin Strootman

Strootman would be an obvious target, considering his links to Van Gaal, but a necessary reinforcement. United’s midfield has been a weakness for some time now and although they decided against this purchase when Strootman moved to Roma last summer, it would be a different story if the Dutch manager took charge. He would undoubtedly become a major target despite the second half of his season being ravaged by injury problems.

Strootman would slot in nicely into the base of United’s midfield and would provide some much needed competition for the ageing Michael Carrick. He has a sweet left-foot which can pick out passes whether they are short or long range and can control the tempo of a game at will. The Dutch midfielder has created 47 chances in 25 appearances for Roma this season which is impressive considering how deep he likes to play.

Strootman Chances Created – Serie A 2013/14

Marco Reus

Any new manager needs a marquee signing when he takes over but unlike £27million flop, Marouane Fellaini, Marco Reus would be a massive success at Old Trafford. Van Gaal loves developing young players who have the potential to be at the top of world football in the future and Reus certainly falls into that category. The German international was a major reason why Borussia Dortmund reached the Champions League final last year and has continued his superb form into this season.

Predominantly a winger, Reus would seem to slot perfectly into United’s famed fast-paced attacking style. His pace on the counter attack and directness will attract Van Gaal and will drag defenders away from central areas, handing the likes of Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa more space to operate.

Reus has been on fire in the Bundesliga this season, creating a stunning 83 chances on goal and scoring 16 goals from midfield. He may cost a hefty amount but you have to say, Reus would most likely be worth every penny.

Reus Goals Scored – Bundesliga 2013/14

Toni Kroos

Bayern Munich’s midfield metronome has been linked heavily with a move to United all season and although it seems unlikely currently, Van Gaal is rumoured to be willing to go all out to secure his services. You won’t find a much more reliable passer of the ball in the whole of Europe than Kroos and the Dutchman would love to make him the lynchpin of a new look midfield at Old Trafford.

Kroos has completed 1856 passes at a staggering 92% success rate in his 27 appearances for Bayern this season.

Kroos Pass Completion – Bundesliga 2013/14

Mats Hummels

With United’s long-term defensive partnership, Vidic and Ferdinand likely to be on the way out the door, a new defence will have to be formed. Van Gaal is rumoured to see Dortmund defender Hummels as the perfect player to fill of the voids these two will leave. Despite not having the best of seasons, there is no doubt that the German is a class defender who loves to play out from the back.

Although playing out from the back is a big part of Hummels’ game, he is no stranger to defending and has shown that he well be the long-term successor to Vidic. Although it hasn’t been his most consistent campaign, due to injuries, when he has played he has averaged nine defensive actions per game and has won 95 aerial duels at a 68% success rate.

Hummels Duel Success – Bundesliga 2013/14