Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves believes Louis van Gaal should not sign Borussia Dortmund centre back Mats Hummels this summer.

Hummels, who has two years left on his contract with Dortmund, has been a long-term target for United with Van Gaal set to break the bank to secure the German in the next transfer window.

The Dortmund defender was part of Joachim Low's World Cup-winning squad last summer but has struggled for form since his country's success at the showpiece in Brazil, and Hargreaves insists that Hummels is not the answer to United's central defensive issues.

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels (right) tries to close down Bayer Leverkusen's Karim Bellarabi

Hummels (left) vies for possession with Stefan Kiessling during Dortmund's recent 0-0 draw with Leverkusen

'He's a super, super ball-playing centre back but I don't think he can defend, he's too slow,' Hargreaves told BT Sport.

'I think he's a nice football player, he's easy on the eye, but United need somebody physical, a presence.

'He's Franz Beckenbauer, the new version, a super passer but I think that if I'm Manchester United I want [Nemanja] Vidic, I want [Vincent] Kompany.'

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves (left) believes Louis van Gaal needs to sign a physical centre back like his former team-mate at Old Trafford Nemanja Vidic (right)

Hargreaves, who spent four seasons at United after signing from Bayern Munich in 2007, cited Dortmund's awful domestic form this season as a major reason why Hummels is not the right man to bolster United's defence.

'He's the captain of Borussia Dortmund, they're last in the Bundesliga,' Hargreaves added.

'Is that the measuring stick for Manchester United? I'm not so sure.'