It would be no great surprise if Jose Mourinho were to bring in defensive reinforcements in January.
Eric Bailly is fit again, but the £30million man will be heading to the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, so Manchester United could be left short again.
Louis van Gaal did not exactly leave United in the best shape at the back, and Mourinho is now having to address their weaknesses.
However, United fans will be particularly frustrated to hear how close they came to signing one of Europe’s most coveted defenders.
Mats Hummels swapped Borussia Dortmund for Bayern Munich in the summer, but he could have avoided the controversial move altogether if he had left for Old Trafford in 2014.
When asked if that came close to happening, the Germany international told the Daily Mail:
“Yes, very close. There were talks, several times in the last few years.
“I had offers from England or one of the three big Spanish clubs. But nothing got close like from England. Van Gaal wanted me but he wasn’t the only one.
“It is difficult for me to play in England now. I’m 28 next month and I’ve signed here for five years.”
The likes of Burnley’s Michael Keane or Southampton’s Jose Fonte now seem to be more realistic targets for Mourinho.
Hummels didn’t reveal exactly what happened or why he wasn’t won over by Van Gaal’s pursuit, but it’s undoubtedly United’s loss and Munich’s gain.
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