Manchester United are closing in on a £16 million deal for Mats Hummels and could announce the centre-back as their third summer signing later this week after reportedly agreeing a fee with his club Borussia Dortmund, according to the Daily Mail. United are in desperate need of a new central defender following the departures of Rio Ferdinand and club captain Nemanja Vidic and have been locked in talks with Dortmund over Hummels, who has just won the World Cup with his native Germany. A fee has been agreed between the two sides, and Old Trafford officials are confident a deal can be agreed. There have been rumblings earlier this week that the Red Devils are about to make another move in the transfer window - having already signed Luke Shaw and Ander herrera - with chief executive Ed Woodward leaving the club's tour of the United States for 'general business reasons'. Woodward left the club's tour last summer for 'urgent transfer business' but this time, United sources insist the 42-year-old's departure is for general business reasons and is not about to spark an immediate transfer. With Ferdinand being released following the end of his contract and Vidic being allowed to join Inter Milan, however, United will know they are in urgent need of a new centre-half this summer.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
