Why this would be £47m well spent for Manchester United:

Manchester United finally seem to have got themselves in a position where they’re capable of challenging for a top four slot. If only Louis Van Gaal had dedicated a bit more time to fixing his defense during the summer transfer window. Perhaps then they’d be a side that’s capable of competing for the Premier League title.

After all, that should be The Red Devils aim. They shouldn’t be struggling to break back into European action. They should be competing for the top prizes. They’ve spent a lot of money in recent times and they’ve got no European football to distract them. They should be doing significantly better.

But to get to that stage, they’re going to need to do something about their lack of defensive options. Luckily, the January transfer window is right around the corner.

This brings me to The Metro‘s claim that Manchester United have ‘won the race’ to sign Borussia Dortmund’s experienced defender, Mats Hummels. The German ace is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in world football.

He’s aggressive, he’s physically tough, he rarely mistimes his tackles and he’s difficult to beat in the air. He’s not the quickest along the ground, but he positions himself well enough that this is rarely a problem. He’s a smart cookie, so it’s little wonder that he’s attracted attention from clubs like Arsenal, Barcelona and yes, Manchester United.

There’s just one problem with all this. According to the aforementioned source, Mats Hummels will cost Manchester United approximately £47m. That’s a huge amount of money, especially for a defender. Still, he’s one of the best in his position, so it’s understandable that Borussia Dortmund would want to charge a premium.

Having spent big in the summer, it’s not clear that The Red Devils will have a lot of money left over this January. Let’s just hope that Louis Van Gaal and co. are able to drag this one across the line.

What’s your take? Would you like to see Mats Hummels in a Manchester United shirt?

Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!

ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.