Manchester United Launch £23m Bid for Bayern Munich Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger

Manchester United are preparing a £23m bid in signing Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Express.

The Red Devils were believed to be chasing Thomas Muller but the 24-year-old striker ended all speculation by signing a new five-year contract with the reigning Bundesliga champions. However, United still want to do business with Bayern and incoming manager Louis van Gaal is said to be very keen on signing the midfielder this summer.

The 62-year-old wants to oversee a massive overhaul of the squad he will be inheriting while taking over the reins at Old Trafford. Recent reports suggested that the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern boss wanted to sign Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund alongside the Bavarian duo of Schweinsteiger and Muller while the World Cup is ongoing.

Van Gaal was also keen on convincing their compatriot Toni Kroos to make the switch from Allianz Arena. But the 24-year-old, whose contract with Pep Guardiola's side expires next summer, is reportedly keen on joining Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Having already suffered a blow in signing Muller and Kroos, it remains uncertain if either Bundesliga outfits will be willing to part ways with their star players in this transfer window. United are thought to be long-term admirers of Schweinsteiger and Van Gaal envisions the German international to command the game from the centre of the field.

The 29-year-old is well aware of the Dutchman's tactics and training methods and will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to the manager's intentions of ushering a new era at Old Trafford.

The 20-time English champions are said to have set the ball rolling to bring in quality signings while evacuating fringe and low impact players before the start of the next season.

Former manager David Moyes' signing last year, Marouane Fellaini is reportedly one of the players, deemed surplus to requirements by Van Gaal.

The 26-year-old was signed from Everton for £27.5m but failed to make considerable impact throughout the season. United are willing to suffer a loss by allowing the midfielder to leave if any offers of around £15m are tabled for the Belgian international.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils were thought to have fitness concerns surrounding their midfielder Darren Fletcher. However, the club have confirmed that the Scotland international has recovered and will be able to take part in their pre-season campaign.