Manchester United line-up €50m Arturo Vidal as key transfer target

Arturo Vidal is on Louis van Gaal's radar as a summer transfer target, with the Manchester United manager an admirer of the Juventus midfield enforcer who starred as Chile reached the last 16 of the World Cup.

Juventus would be expected to demand as much as €50 million for the 27-year-old, and Van Gaal wants another central midfielder following last month’s €36 million addition of Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao.

The prospective valuation of Vidal is not thought to be an issue for Van Gaal, with one option being to offer a player as a makeweight. Nani has long interested Juventus and may be deemed surplus to requirements by the Dutchman.

Van Gaal also wants Kevin Strootman, the Roma midfielder, but as he will not return from a serious knee injury until late autumn, according to his representatives, the manager is hopeful of strengthening this area before the close of the transfer window.

Van Gaal, who led the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-finals following's Saturday's penalty shoot-out win over Costa Rica in Salvador, has already added Southampton and England left back Luke Shaw to his squad, along with Herrera.

After the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the 62-year-old's priority is a top-class central defender – Borussia Dortmund and Germany's Mats Hummels is Van Gaal's No 1 choice, with Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen also of interest to add further options in the position.

(Guardian Service)