adminLONDON. — Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos and are set to make a stunning move for his team-mate Arjen Robben.
A £20million deal for Kroos was agreed when David Moyes was still in charge at Old Trafford and his successor, former Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, has said the move can go ahead.
Kroos (24) flourished under Van Gaal at Bayern and is keen to work under his old coach again. The same is true of Robben, who was one of Van Gaal’s first signings in Germany when he joined from Real Madrid for £20m in 2009.
The 30-year-old winger has recently signed a three-year deal, but that is unlikely to discourage Holland coach Van Gaal, who will be working with Robben at the World Cup.
United are understood to have agreed a £27m fee with Southampton for leftback Luke Shaw and Borussia Dortmund centre half Mats Hummels is a target.
Paul Scholes has urged Manchester United to make Kroos their top transfer target, but has warned that the club need to bring in “five or six” new players.
The Old Trafford outfit are reported to have agreed a £20million deal for the Bayern Munich midfielder while Moyes was still at the helm, with new boss van Gaal giving his approval for the move to go ahead.
Former United and England midfielder Scholes believes that the Germany international is just one of several players executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward needs to land if they are to return to challenging for honours.
The Red Devils endured a miserable campaign after Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, with Moyes being brought in for a brief and unsuccessful spell, eventually finishing the season seventh, 22 points adrift of champions Manchester City.
And Scholes feels that the coming campaign will be a measure of whether Woodward is the right man to identify and secure the players needed to restore United to their previous position.
“The first player I would bring in is Toni Kroos,” Scholes wrote in his blog for Paddy Power.
“He’s a top-class central midfield player, but United need five or six to get anywhere near the top of the Premier League again.
“No player at Manchester United can take much credit after last season’s performances, bar David de Gea. It was a disaster. The ‘keeper being player of the year says a lot.
“Edward Woodward has an awful lot to prove this time that he is good enough at his job. He has to bring in the players that the new manager wants.
“It’s obvious that last year he didn’t manage to do that. If he doesn’t, we are not going to get anywhere near the top.”
And Scholes has admitted he does not expect to have a coaching role at Old Trafford next season. Scholes returned last month to help out Giggs after his former team-mate was temporarily placed in charge following the departure of Moyes, with the Welshman now assistant under new boss Van Gaal.
“I’ve not spoken to Edward Woodward,” Scholes added.
“I came back for Ryan Giggs for the last few games of last season to try to help out, but I’m not waiting for a phone call and don’t expect to be at United next season.”
Scholes, who hung up his boots last year after playing over 700 games for the club, believes Moyes should not be held solely responsible for the problems last term. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter