Manchester United transfer: Red Devils on alert at Real’s Toni Kroos, Gonzalo Higuain set for summer move

Manchester United are rumoured to be eyeing Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos after football pundit Guillem Balague claimed that the German international is set to leave Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season.

Balague, football analyst for Sky Sports, revealed that Kroos is wanting a transfer away from Real this summer. Kroos has long been United’s target and would be ideal to play at Old Trafford, according to Ballague.

“I do believe he wants to leave Real,” Balague told a Sky Sports Q&A. “It will be a fight for anyone to get him, but he would be ideal for Manchester United. There will be a fight for him this summer.”

Kroos has already had plenty of offers to leave Real, with Arsenal being one of the teams interested to lure the 26-year-old playmaker, according to Spanish media outlet AS. But it was initially the Red Devils who showed serious intentions in signing Kroos before the Los Blancos playmaker signed with the Spanish giants in 2014.

United have secured Gonzalo Higuain this summer after the Napoli forward agreed to a deal worth £85 million (AU$161.7 million). According to Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli of Tribal Football, incoming United boss Jose Mourinho, who is keen to bring the French-born Argentine scorer to Old Trafford, have met with Higuain’s brother and agent and principally agreed to a five-year deal worth £7.9 million (AU$15 million) a year.

“Mourinho and Higuain's brother, who also acts as Gonzalo's agent, have met recently,” Giulianelli disclosed. “The summit ended with them finding an agreement in principle over a five-year contract worth €10 million-a-season.”

Higuain has been in top form for Napoli this season, scoring 29 goals in 38 appearances. United are on course to register their lowest tally in the Premier League, having only scored 37 goals in 29 matches. Bringing in Higuain would instantly provide the Red Devils a prolific scorer, who could boost the club’s attacking options.