Manchester United's DOUBLE SNUB: Van Gaal told to forget about Mats Hummels and Marco Reus
Posted Wednesday, July 23, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk
MANCHESTER United have been told to forget about signing World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Marco Reus.
LOOK ELSEWHERE: The Dutchman will have to find a centre back and a creative midfielder somewhere else
United chief executive Ed Woodward has flown home from the club’s tour of America and straight into a slap in the face from Borussia Dortmund.
Woodward had been hoping to step up United’s summer spending by splashing £50m on German duo Hummels and Reus.
But Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has told new United boss Louis van Gaal they are wasting their time.
Klopp said: “I can assure everyone there are no indications that Mats or Marco want to leave.
"They will be playing for us in the new season. What is the latest rumour - Mats to Manchester United? And for how much? £17m.
"For an amount like that you can forget about it straight away.”
Van Gaal knows his team’s defence needs urgent strengthening this summer following the departures of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra.
United will not give-up in the chase for centre back Hummels, a key member of Germany’s World Cup winning team.
But Klopp’s comments mean United could now have to focus on other defensive targets - such as Stefan De Vrij, Thomas Vermaelen and Daley Blind.
Van Gaal will spend the next two weeks assessing his squad during the tour of the US but is expected to step-up his interest in Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria, while Holland’s Kevin Strootman is also a target once he has recovered from a serious knee problem.
But Woodward has made it clear money is no object for Van Gaal.
He said: “The reality is that we’re not afraid of spending significant amounts of money in the transfer market.
"Whether it’s a record or not doesn’t really resonate with us. What resonates is a top, top elite player that the manager wants that is going to be a star for Manchester United.
"Of course it is within the club’s capabilities to spend £60m, £70m, £80m on a player and the club would not be afraid to do that.
"There is no budget. We are in a very strong financial position. We can make big signings. That doesn’t mean we go and throw money around.
"We have a lot of scouting output through the last 12 months flagging up various things to us.
"But Louis is the one that makes the ultimate decision around who he wants in the squad. I’m not going to force feed him with a player that he hasn’t selected.
"The owners share the club’s philosophy of wanting to see the best players play for Manchester United - but we are not imposing that on anybody.
"It was never imposed on Sir Alex Ferguson, it was not imposed on David Moyes, and it’s not going to be imposed on Louis.”
Striker Wayne Rooney has asked to be included in tonight’s game against LA Galaxy despite only returning to training five days ago.
United assistant boss Ryan Giggs said: “Wayne looks really good and wants to start.
"The players are trying to impress in training and they’ll be trying to impress in the game.”
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