Manchester United target out of World Cup, injury possibly career-threatening

Manchester United transfer target Ilkay Gundogan has been dealt a cruel blow with news that his long-running injury will keep him out of both the rest of the season and the World Cup.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder had emerged as one of the top young midfielders in Europe, but a continuing back problem has led to him missing the whole season and his injury problems look like they could be potentially career-threatening.

That will probably put off United and any other suitors from making a move, certainly this summer at least. Instead, we shall have to move onto other targets, as the club is presumably well aware of the problems of signing energetic key midfielders from German clubs with recurring injury problems.

It's a great shame for Gundogan, and hopefully things will work out alright at the end for him, but we'll now have to see who else is going to be available this summer.