Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal refusing to panic about the lack of firepower in his squad ahead of USA pre-season tour
- Manchester United are still on the hunt for a striker this transfer window
- Radamel Falcao has already left and Robin van Persie is next out the door
- Wayne Rooney is club's only established striker for their pre-season tour
- Harry Kane, Thomas Muller and Edison Cavani are all potential targets
Manchester United agreed a deal to sign Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich for £13million on Saturday, but they still look likely to start the season short on firepower.
Club sources say manager Louis van Gaal isn’t panicking over signing a new striker, but he will have Wayne Rooney as his only senior established forward when the club leave for their pre-season tour of America on Monday.
Van Gaal’s favoured choice is Harry Kane but United remain extremely wary of dealing with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal looks set to be reunited with midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger
Robin van Persie looks set to follow Radamel Falcao out of Manchester United this transfer window
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has been in United's thinking after a brilliant breakthrough season
Sources at Spurs say there has been no bid for Kane and that it has been made clear to United that there is no point in making one.
So with Kane unavailable, United will have to look at alternatives. Thomas Muller is a favourite of Van Gaal’s from his time at Bayern and United did bid for him last summer, but the German decided to sign a new deal in Munich. Bayern said on Saturday that they would not sell him.
Increasingly it looks as though they will have to re-visit a £50m bid for Edinson Cavani at Paris St-Germain. The 28-year-old Uruguayan looks the best option for United now that Radamel Falcao has left for Chelsea and Robin van Persie is joining Fenerbahce.
Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is a possibility and United are aware that Aston Villa and Belgium centre-forward Christian Benteke has a buy-out clause of £32.5m.
Thomas Muller is back in pre-season training with Bayern Munich but United could be keen on a move for him
In the light of this impasse on the striker front Van Gaal plans to use upcoming tour matches against Club America, San Jose Earthquakes, Barcelona and PSG to see if Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj, £25m summer signing Memphis Depay, Angel di Maria or James Wilson can operate at No 9 this season.
For now United can enjoy the fact that they have recruited Schweinsteiger, a player for whom Van Gaal has been a key influence. It was the Dutchman who switched Schweinsteiger from a wide player to a holding midfielder when he became Bayern manager in 2009.
Van Gaal will need to boost his forward line next season with a new world-class hitman at Old Trafford
Edinson Cavani is always linked with Europe's top clubs with Manchester United keen on the striker
The Germany captain and World Cup winner needs to agree personal terms and have a medical but he could join his new team on the American tour.
Talks to sign midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton won’t be affected by Schweinsteiger’s arrival, with United willing to pay £20m for the Frenchman while Saints boss Ronald Koeman is demanding £25m.
Torino defender Matteo Darmian has signed in a £13m deal and is expected to fill the right back position.
Talks to sign midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton won’t be affected by Schweinsteiger’s arrival
Italian defender Matteo Darmian has signed in a £13m deal and is expected to fill the right back position
It seems that Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas is now central to negotiations over David de Gea’s future, with the Costa Rican being offered as part of the deal.
However, the transfer may also hinge on the fate of centre-half Sergio Ramos, with Real insisting he will stay at the Bernabeu and sign a new deal, despite United’s interest.
Atletico Madrid’s Slovenian keeper Jan Oblak and Ajax’s Jasper Cillessen could also replace De Gea, though the club already have Victor Valdes at Old Trafford.
Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas is now central to negotiations over Spaniard David de Gea’s future
Van Gaal also wants a centre-half and if Ramos stays at Real, they will move for Argentine Nicolas Otamendi, though not for Valencia’s £36m asking price.
England Under-20 international Josh Harrop, born in Stockport, has signed a new two-year deal, which will be welcomed by United fans who want to see local youngsters in the first-team squad.
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