Manchester United prepare €75m move for Kevin de Bruyne

Manchester United are set to make an audacious swoop for Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin de Bruyne who has been heavily linked with a move this summer.

German publication Sport1 believes that the Red Devils are weighing up a €75m ($86m, £55m) move for the Belgian as Louis van Gaal is desperate to land a big money signing before the end of the summer. Manchester City are currently favourites for his signature but United have the cash in hand to hijack the move after missing out on top targets Pedro from Barcelona and Thomas Muller from Bayern Munich.

The Telegraph reported that Bayern were also in the mix to sign the player but the Bundesliga giants have come out with a statement vehemently denying the claims. This has allowed the Premier League giants a sniff and they are trying to get a deal done as soon as possible.

"We will definitely not become active in the matter of De Bruyne," Markus Hoerwick, a Bayern spokesperson told Sky Sports. "This is something the board has decided for some time."

United were on the verge of signing Pedro from Barcelona but dithered midway through the move, which allowed Chelsea to swoop in and complete the transfer at short notice. The Spaniard made a brilliant debut for the Blues, scoring and assisting a goal each in an enthralling 3-2 win over West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.

Meanwhile, United were found wanting in creativity up top as they failed to break through a Newcastle defence at home, giving a solid reason for Van Gaal to make a move in the market. The Red Devils have also been linked with an improbable move for Barcelona forward Neymar, with Globo Esporte stating that the club have submitted a €190m ($219m, £140m) bid for the player. However, the report states that the Spanish giants are unwilling to sell this transfer window but the amount of cash involved can force their hand once their transfer ban is lifted in January.