Manchester United are poised for another summer of significant transfer activity spearheaded by a prospective £60 million-plus bid for the Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who has now emerged as the key target.
The Premier League club also want to sign a right-sided 'ball-carrying' central defender, a right-sided midfielder and possibly a right-back and a striker should they decide against, as seems increasingly likely, taking up the option of acquiring Radamel Falcao on a permanent £43 million deal from Monaco.
Although the Colombian's professionalism at United has been exemplary and there has been a desperate desire for him to succeed, it has simply not happened for him yet.
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The significant spending — with up to five first-team signings, which will be accompanied by a number of departures — is not contingent on United, who face Liverpool away today, finishing in the top four. If they miss out on the Champions League places there is no threat to the position of Louis van Gaal as manager.
United have full faith in Van Gaal and are delighted with the he way he is doing his job. The Dutchman, 63, will be given time to continue to turn things around and has developed a strong working relationship with the first-team squad and the club's hierarchy.
With that in mind United are determined to support Van Gaal as he embarks on his first full summer of preparing his players and reshaping his squad.
Signing a 'No 6' midfielder, who will dictate the play from deeper, is key to the manager's plans and the way he wants to play with Pogba re-emerging as the firm target. The 22-year-old French international, who left United in 2012 when his contract ran out after becoming frustrated at the lack of first-team opportunities, is regarded as one of the few top-level players in world football who could be available this summer.
Pogba recently signed a new deal at Juventus, taking him to 2019, but there has been sufficient encouragement to suggest he is likely to be sold.
The Frenchman has been in scintillating form for Juventus
Van Gaal's predecessor David Moyes had also considered a move for the powerful midfielder and United were again linked last summer before deciding then that the £60 million asking price was too much at that time.
However, that valuation is now likely to be met with Pogba regarded as being in the top tier of elite players.
United will face competition to sign Pogba with Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Real Madrid all strongly linked with him in the past. Juventus director Pavel Nedved was quoted in La Parisien newspaper on Saturday as saying that PSG had submitted a bid - but, in this same report, this was denied by the French club's director of sport, Olivier Letang.
Despite having spent more than £150 million last summer United retain the financial strength to spend big again and will not restrict themselves to young players.
United are poised to keep Angel di Maria, even though he has struggled for form after initially impressing after his British record £59.7 million move from Real Madrid last summer.
United will fight off any attempts by Real to buy David de Gea
The club are also determined to fight off any attempt by Real Madrid to sign the goalkeeper David de Gea but may face a tough battle to do so.
United could still eventually be interested in bringing back Cristiano Ronaldo to the club because even though the striker is 30 he is regarded as a player who could carry on at the top-level into his mid-30s. But the impetus for that deal would have to come from Ronaldo himself given he signed a new contract at Real Madrid two summers ago when United were confident that he wanted to return to them. Nevertheless United will continue to monitor the situation.
United would be among several big clubs who would be interested in signing Gareth Bale should he become available but it is highly unlikely he will leave Real Madrid just yet following his world-record move in 2013.
Beyond signing a midfielder such as Pogba the other main target will be a central defender who is right-sided and is comfortable in possession which could suggest a move for Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels who has also been long linked with United.
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