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Luke Shaw’s imminent arrival at Old Trafford will not necessarily spell the end of Patrice Evra’s United career.

Southampton’s England left-back Shaw is due to return from Portugal today ahead of the World Cup.

A deal worth £30m for the talented 18-year-old is said to be close to completion.

That may not, however, mean an exit for veteran Evra.

The Frenchman, whose contract expires this summer, was set to leave after enduring a miserable time under previous manager David Moyes.

Things are said to have come to a head in a bizarre row over bacon sandwiches in a lounge at Manchester Airport before the club jetted out for a Champions League away match.

Staff at the airport are said to have laid on the butties as a goodwill gesture but the Scot was reportedly furious with Evra when he took one.

On the flight the mischievous defender is rumoured to have made a passenger announcement, explaining that there had been a change to the in-flight menu and that it would be bacon sandwiches all round.

That is also though to have not gone down well with Moyes and played a part in his desire to leave and follow Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand out of United.

However, sources say that following the appointment of Louis van Gaal, Evra has had a change of heart and has gone from being determined to leave to undecided about his future and could now have the appetite to sign a new 12-month deal.

United remain on course to bring in four or five new faces this summer.

Even before Moyes was axed, the Reds’ top brass were ready to splash out after a calamitous season.

That is still the case, with talks said to be at an ‘advanced stage’ with a number of those who feature on United’s hitlist – although reports that the signing of Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos is imminent have been played down by United.

New man Van Gaal sought assurances he would be able to overhaul much of the squad before he took the job and work continues to make that a reality.

The exits of Vidic and Ferdinand mean central defenders will be high on his shopping list.

The smart money appears to be on Borussia Dortmund’s Matts Hummels, although the 25-year-old’s father, who is his agent, claims he is going nowhere.

Herman Hummels said that his son knows Van Gaal but is not thinking of leaving Dortmund and at the moment only has eyes for the World Cup. He added that no contact had been made.

A tug-of-war with City over Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala remains a fascinating prospect.

Top-class centre-halfs are few and far between in today’s market and the French international centre-half certainly fits the bill. City are said to be favourites but will have one eye on the Financial Fair Play restrictions which could leave them vulnerable to a gazumping from their old rivals for the 23-year-old.

A return for Dante, the Bayern Munich centre-half United tried to sign in January, is unlikely.

Central midfielder Cesc Fabergas, from whom an unsuccessful bid was made last summer, is understood to feature on the list of targets that the Reds have carried out groundwork on.

And the Spaniard may not have been encouraged by comments made by his new Barcelona boss Luis Enrique when he was unveiled on Wednesday.

When asked about the former Arsenal man’s future, Enrique said: “We should not make any decisions. There is time for everything.”

The Gunners have first option on their former player although the Catalans, who need to recoup money after handing a new contract to Lionel Messi, would no doubt welcome interest from United.

The German press claim Kroos had been told he will not be offered an improved contract at Bayern after asking for parity with the club’s top earners. He is known to have a ‘special relationship’ with former boss Van Gaal.

United are well-stocked when it comes to attacking midfielders, but van Gaal may look to Bayern’s Arjen Robben. The tricky left winger is adored in Bavaria but, at the age of 30, a bid of around £30m could be enough to lure him to Old Trafford.