Man Utd transfer news: Schweinsteiger in Deadline Day stand-off

Man Utd transfer news: West Ham want Chris Smalling for £20m

4 May

Take a bow the Brentwood Gazette, which reveals that Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is being eyed up by West Ham.

Apparently the Hammers are ready to table a £20m bid for the 26-year Smalling, and they are said to be hopeful that he will want to come back to his home town.

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Before joining United in 2010, Smalling had made a name for himself at Fulham and West Ham are trying to entice him back south as one of the big summer signing to coincide with the move to the Olympic Stadium. In reporting the Gazette's exclusive, the Daily Express says that Slaven Bilic has identified Smalling as a perfect fit with his ambitions for the club.

Meanwhile the Daily Star says that United "have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Sofiane Feghouli". The 26-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with Old Trafford in recent weeks with reports in Spain and Turkey declaring that the winger leave Valencia when his contract expires this summer.

But it's not just Jose Mourinho who is unconvinced by United's future prospects, according to Turkish newspaper Millyjet, Fenerbahce have moved ahead of United in the race to sign the Algeria international and in fact Feghouli has reportedly "shaken hands on a deal to join the Istanbul outfit".

Man Utd transfer news: £70m battle for Aubameyang hots up

03 May

Manchester United may have been lacklustre on the field this season but they are full of energy off it and haven't given up hope of landing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer. According to the Daily Mail the Red Devils "have moved a step closer" to signing the Gabon goal machine from Borussia Dortmund, but there remains much work still to do.

First, claims the Mail, United "may have to pay up to £70m" and then second they must hope that "Real Madrid don't pursue their interest" in the player. United are quietly confident that they can persuade Dortmund to part with their sharpshooter, who's scored 36 goals in 42 appearances this season, but they are also conscious that Aubameyang would prefer to move to the Bernabeu.

Much may depend of what happens to Robert Lewandowski, the unsettled Bayern Munich striker who is at the centre of a tug-of-war between Arsenal and Real Madrid. If the Spanish giants prevail then that should leave the way clear for United to make a move for Aubameyang, described by the Mail as the "number one target" for the Old Trafford club this summer.

Elsewhere, United and West Ham are practically neck and neck in the league table and little separates the pair in the pursuit of Alexandre Lacazette, reports the Daily Mirror. The paper claims that the two clubs are vying for the hand of the 24-year-old Lyon frontman, who comes with a price tag of £23.5m. With neither club likely to be playing in the Champions League next season, Lacazette is torn between the two but the Mirror says the Hammers "are plotting a club record bid to lure him to the Olympic Stadium".

Man Utd transfer news: £20m to land N'Golo Kante, but no Hummels

29 April

Just 24 hours after Arsenal were said to be circling N'Golo Kante comes news that Manchester United plan to pinch the elegant Fox from under the noses of their fierce and similarly underperforming rivals.

The French midfielder has been a revelation this season in Leicester's rise to the top and the champions-elect are bracing themselves for a flurry of offers when the summer transfer window opens.

And according to The Sun the first is likely to be tabled by the Red Devils who will use Sunday's clash between the two clubs to check out Kante.

The paper says that United officials will use the match "as an opportunity to enquire about his availability with their Leicester counterparts".

Apparently, the more bullish members of the United board believe that Kante - who cost Leicester £5.6m last summer when he arrived from Caen - "could be available for just £20m" - not a bad mark-up for Leicester, but still a reasonable price for a workaholic midfielder who has propelled Leicester to glory.

Finally, United can kiss Auf Wiedersehen to their chances of landing Mats Hummels once and for all. The Borussia Dortmund defender was earlier in the season linked to Old Trafford but The Guardian is one of several papers to carry the statement issued by Dortmund on Thursday afternoon, stating that Hummers has told them "that he wishes to leave the club in order to join FC Bayern Munich with effect from the 2016-17 season".

The statement added that they will agree to a deal only if they receive from Bayern Munich "an extremely valuable offer which reflects the high importance of the player ".

Man United transfer news: Toni Kroos impresses scouts

28 April

Perhaps Toni Kroos's trip to Manchester this week wasn't completely wasted. The Real Madrid midfielder and his teammates couldn't break down Man City in Tuesday night's Champions League encounter but according to the Daily Mirror, Kroos did enough to impress the watching Man United scouts.

The paper says that the Red Devils "are back in the hunt" for the German midfielder, two years after they lost out to Real in the battle to lure the 26-year-old from Bayern Munich.

David Moyes was the United boss back then, but it's claimed that the likely installation of Jose Mourinho as manager this summer could lead to the transfer of the playmaker. The Mirror says that Kroos "has been linked with moves away from Real Madrid" and a deal could be done in the summer if, as expected, coach Zinedine Zidane shakes up his squad.

But the news for United is less good as far as Hugh Lloris is concerned with the Daily Express reporting that the Gallic gloveman will remain at White Hart Lane next season. With rumours still suggesting that David de Gea will leave for Real Madrid at the end of this campaign, United were reportedly circling the 29-year-old Spurs shotstopper as the man to replace the Spaniard.

But the Express says that Lloris has been "convinced by Spurs' performances and exciting young squad to stay at the club for the foreseeable future".

Man Utd transfer news: Memphis Depay in Sadio Mane swap deal

27 April

How do you solve a problem like Memphis Depay? Manchester United believe they have found a way, and it involves a swap deal with Southampton.

United haven't given up their pursuit of Saints winger Sadio Mane and according to the Daily Express they "are attempting to use Memphis Depay" as a bargaining chip.

Southampton's £30m-rated wide man is near the top of United's summer shopping list and they are quietly confident that the South Coast club will agree to an exchange with Southampton manager Ronald Koeman known to be admirer of Depay, who's failed to fire since arriving at Old Trafford from PSV Eindhoven last summer.

It's the news that no Manchester United fan has been dreading - Marouane Fellaini could soon be on his way out of Old Trafford.

The 28-year-old Belgian has failed to win over the faithful since arriving from Everton in 2013 and though he has two years to run on his existing contract, Talksport says that the Red Devils "could be tempted into a sale if a sizeable offer is made".

Who's looking to make such an offer? Roma, according to Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. They've been scouting the midfielder for a few months and "believe he would be an ideal acquisition", and the man to replace Radja Nainggolan, who's been heavily tipped to join Chelsea in the summer.

As for the sizeable offer, Talksport says that Roma will make an offer in the region of £15m for Fellaini.

But every silver lining has a cloud, and in United's case it relates to Mats Hummels, who won't be moving to Old Trafford. The Borussia Dortmund centre-back has been the subject of what The Sun describes as a "big-money bid" from United, but he's knocked back the offer and will rejoin Bayern Munich in a £23.5m deal.