Man Utd Transfers: 6 Deals Van Gaal Could Do Today

5. Kevin Strootman

Despite Van Gaal's apparently unafering commitment to the 3-5-2 system that led to such success with Holland at the World Cup, he wouldn't even have been playing it were it not for the absence of Kevin Strootman. The Dutchman had planned on using the 4-3-3 system that had previously been used, but lost the Roma midfielder to a catastrophic cruciate ligament injury in March and had to make serious changes. That Van Gaal recognises the player's worth is not up for question - he openly stated his admiration ahead of United's pre-season friendly against Roma in fact - and he has admitted that the 24-year-old will be monitored once he returns to action. But he won't be the only one, and it remains to be seen whether United would even be able to cope with the claims of other suitors once he returns, so moving today would make more sense, even with the player our for another six-to-eight weeks. After all, January might be too late.