Louis van Gaal says Manchester United failed to sign one player he wanted in the summer following his move to Old Trafford.
The Dutchman arrived at the club in the summer of 2014, shortly after the ill-fated spell endured by David Moyes and Ryan Giggs’ brief period in temporary charge.
United signed Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind that summer, as well as bringing in Radamel Falcao on loan.
Di Maria was by far the most expensive of those at £59.7million, with Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Sergio Romero and Anthony Martial added the following year.
But looking back at his first summer as he tried to rebuild the squad, Van Gaal says he wasn’t given any player that he actually wanted.
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“ Manchester United did not have the qualities to become champions and had an outdated selection with ten players over 30, five over 35,” Van Gaal told Voetbal International, via the Manchester Evening News.
“So I told them I was going to rejuvenate and which players should come. I didn’t get one of those.
“Then you end up in a different segment and as a coach you have to push your boundaries. You don’t expect that at the richest club in the world.
“A turnover of £600million and can’t buy the players you need. You should buy number one and not number seven.
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“Of course, the selling club also thinks: ‘If you are so rich, you also have to pay the highest amount imaginable for a player.’ That was what happened with transfers.
“Then you have to do with the numbers seven or eight on your wish list. For which you actually pay way too much money, on which the coach is judged and convicted.”
United finished fourth and fifth in Van Gaal’s two seasons in charge, although the Dutchman did pick up the FA Cup shortly before his departure in 2016.
