Manchester United went all out for central defender Mats Hummels in the 2015 summer transfer window, and in prior transfer windows. It was no secret that Louis van Gaal, Ed Woodward and company were keen on him. Obviously it didn’t happen though as Hummels decided to stay in the Bundesliga, moving on from Borussia Dortmund and back to the place where he started his career- Bayern Munich.
Mats Hummels penned a 37 million Euro deal last month to re-join the Bavarian powerhouse for five years, and today he revealed some of the rationale behind his decision.
In an interview with Suddeutsche Zeitung, southern Germany’s paper of record, Hummels said he considered a transfer to England, but didn’t receive the right offer.
“Fundamentally, England, Spain and Germany were the relevant leagues I could see myself playing football in,” Hummels said. “But at this stage there just was not that one English club where the overall package was fitting.”
The lack of Champions League football is supposedly what held him back from joining that “one English club,” which he can assume is United. Hummels then went on to explain what that “overall package” truly is.
“The overall package means: a club which fascinates me; a club I have always wanted to join, and where the sporting constellation is right, and which of course plays Champions League football next season,” Hummels said. “And because of the latter one club was ruled out, and you can envision which club that was.”
Newly installed Manager Jose Mourinho has acquired a centre-back this summer in Eric Bailly, the only official acquisition made thus far early this summer. Can Bailly be the guy that United are looking to pair up with Chris Smalling? The Red Devils have been seeking somebody to step up and be that player for quite some time. If they had the right central pairing in the back line, perhaps they would have secured a top four finish and remained in Europe.
Their failure to do so cost LVG his job and does provide an obstacle in the transfer market. Mats Hummels is an example of that.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram