Another World Cup winner on United's radar?

Here is a thing that we know: Sami Khedira, World Cup winner and Real Madrid midfielder, will be looking for a new club come the summer. In an interview with German magazine Kicker — all thanks, as ever, to Mr G. Translate — Khedira confirmed his intention to leave the Bernabeu, and also that he hasn't signed for anybody else:

This is not a decision against Real, but I want to put a new charm in my career and develop myself. I had a great time in a great team and I will do everything we can to help her in the next few weeks. ... There is no agreement to nobody and no tendency zero point zero.

Sterling work, Mr Translate.

Here is a thing we think we know: Manchester United are in the market for a top-class central midfielder of moderate to strong defensive leanings. Well, Kevin Strootman. But then his knee broke down again, which must surely have nixed any move until at least next January.

So would Khedira be an adequate alternative? As with Strootman, the biggest question mark is one of fitness. His Madrid career stalled after he ruptured his cruciate ligament in November 2013, which kept him out for five months. Since his return his fitness record has been pretty spotty, and he's been in and out of the Madrid squad.

That aside, however, he's certainly a classy player, a good passer and dynamic central presence who would be well capable of playing the kind of possession football that Louis van Gaal likes. There's little doubt that he would definitely improve United's midfield. And he looks kind of like a sad lion, which is nice.

Kicker reckon Arsenal and Chelsea are both interested, along with Schalke in Germany, and tBB finds it hard to believe that nearly every other decent and half-decent club around Europe aren't at least considering a move. His desire to leave might well bring the price down as well. As gambles go, we can certainly think of worse.