Reality finally hit the rumor mill on Thursday, with Manchester United subsiding their January interest in Borussia Dortmund center-back Mats Hummels. According to the Manchester Evening News (via Goal Transfer Talk), Louis van Gaal is keen to bring a central defender and has also given a look to Bruno Martins Indi.
Per the report, however, the Dutchman is prepared to wait until the summer for Hummels.
Unfortunately, that will do little to bolster United's position in the Premier League table. Rather than wait until the summer for a competent defender, here are three players van Gaal should immediately target.
Borussia Dortmund's Neven Subotic
If Hummels is proving to be difficult to land, look no further than his teammate for an alternative. Neven Subotic , fully recovered from torn ligaments in his knee, is enjoying a modicum of success in 2014-15. The 26-year-old made 21 appearances across all competitions before the winter break, averaging nine clearances in Champions League play.
Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar
Martins Indi is a transfer for the future, but there's another Dutchman van Gaal should consider. With Aston Villa struggling for goals—only 11 in 22 matches—finding an attacking option becomes priority No. 1 for Paul Lambert. Selling center-back Ron Vlaar to United to fund such a move is a trade off he must consider.
Schalke 04's Joel Matip
Perhaps no plausible option will prove to be as bruising and physical as Joel Matip. The Schalke 04 man is suffering through limited action in the Bundesliga, making just six appearances. Just 23 years young, Matip is a solution for the remainder of the 2014-15 season and beyond.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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