Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Marco Reus, Ron Vlaar Set to Stay

Manchester United's hopes of signing up Borussia Dortmund superstar Marco Reus have taken a big blow, with the player reportedly only eager to move to a club where he will win silverware.

While the Red Devils are historically serial winners, their recent plight sees them effectively already out of the English title race and not even competing in the Champions League.

With Reus reportedly only open to a move where he can win trophies, according to Charlie Wyett in the Sun (h/t James Dickenson in the Express), the current United setup would seemingly be unattractive to him, with a source apparently saying the same about Arsenal:

"Reus is keen on winning titles and he is worried this would not happen at Arsenal."

There are likely set to be many clubs clamouring to sign the 25-year-old Reus up soon as his relatively cheap £19.75 million buyout clause kicks in at the end of the season, per Dickenson.

That is a bargain price for a player who provides goals and assists by the truck-load—he netted 16 times and created 13 in 30 Bundesliga appearances last season, per Squawka. Chelsea are reportedly looking to jump the gun with a January bid, per Metro, although Sky Germany's Jan Aage Fjortoft does not see a new-year move happening:

Either way, though the Old Trafford outfit have the financial heft to sign Reus and could likely offer him gargantuan wages, their current competitiveness—or lack thereof—in the Premier League has seemingly ruled them out.

No doubt boss Louis van Gaal would love to see Reus—who can play across the midfield, further forward in attack or as a playmaker—link up with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Angel di Maria but it seems highly unlikely at this time.

Van Gaal's main concern come the January transfer window must be to bolster a very weak defensive unit that has taken more hits recently due to suspension and injury.

Though a makeshift defence was able to keep a clean sheet last time out at home to Crystal Palace, reinforcements are needed, and Aston Villa centre-back Ron Vlaar has been linked with the Red Devils for some time, per Eurosport. 

However, the 29-year-old Dutchman has seemingly ruled out a move to rejoin his former international boss, saying there is no talk of an Old Trafford transfer, with a new Villa deal potentially on the horizon, per Tom Sheen in The Independent:

"I have nothing to say because there is nothing going on. I have spoken to the gaffer a few times (about a new deal) but that is it so far."

If that is indeed the case, United will need to look elsewhere as they cannot continue into the second half of the season with a centre-back unit leaning on the unreliable likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans.

The departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in the summer has broken up a previously solid, experienced defence—although neither player is performing very well in their new roles at QPR and Inter Milan respectively.

Van Gaal needs a new centre-back pairing on which to build his side, and the January transfer window gives him an opportunity to rectify the current issues in his defensive line.