Manchester United's pursuit of Mats Hummels has reached an impasse.
According to the Daily Star, the Borussia Dortmund center-back rejected a £30 million transfer offer. The 26-year-old spent four months mulling over his future in Germany and has decided to remain put.
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"It was fair enough that Mats gave it some thought," sporting director Michael Zorc said following the news. "But I have always pointed out that he is firmly part of our plans."
Per the report, United will increase their efforts to land two alternative targets, Valencia's Nicolas Otamendi or Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin.
Now that club has secured a Champions League berth, Louis van Gaal's plans to return the club to prominence is nearly complete. The United boss, however, readily admits the target for next campaign is the title winner, Chelsea.
"Then we go to Chelsea," the Dutchman said at the club's end of season awards ceremony (via Metro). "You remember away game against Chelsea? Who are the better team then? It's easy to say that now in this room. I can believe it, but it was the truth. But we lost. We lost that game, but can you imagine when you have 80 percent ball possession, you have 10 big possibilities and they have three and they win the game."
"What I want to say to you, we are very close."
Close in theory, but not close in points. United could finish as far as 18 points behind Chelsea's title campaign. In order to close that gap, either Otamendi or Godin must arrive to Old Trafford to solidify a shaky defense.
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