Soccer

Louis van Gaal told to keep splashing the cash

Manchester United manager will be given another war chest to spend in January window

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal with Angel Di Maria after the club broke the British transfer fee record to bring the player to Old Trafford. Photograph: EPA
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal with Angel Di Maria after the club broke the British transfer fee record to bring the player to Old Trafford. Photograph: EPA
Fri Sept 05 2014 - 09:55

Louis van Gaal will have money to spend in January if he still believes his Manchester United squad is not up to scratch.

Van Gaal was by far the biggest-spending manager in the Premier League this window, splashing out just short of €190 million to sign six players.

The United manager hopes Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Angel di Maria, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao will help him achieve the first goal in his three-year plan — Champions League qualification.

But it is understood Van Gaal has already been told there is yet more cash available to him if he feels his squad is still too short on quality come January.

READ SOME MORE

United have shown they are prepared to spend big to land their targets this summer and there is a feeling that the same rule applies for January, even though the winter window rarely throws up opportunities for clubs to sign the best players in Europe.

Van Gaal has told his scouts to monitor Kevin Strootman as he recovers from a serious knee injury.

But a representative of the Roma midfielder, Fabio Parisi, said no bids have been received for the 24-year-old, who Van Gaal knows well from his time with Holland.

“There is no kind of interest on Strootman. He is recovering from his injury and will be available soon to contribute to Roma’s cause,” Parisi said.

“For the rest, I say that is just talk and there is nothing, it’s all just speculation from England.”

Some were shocked by the decision to let Danny Welbeck leave for Arsenal given that he had been at United since he was eight-years-old.

Former assistant manager Mike Phelan said United's "identity has been broken" with Danny Welbeck's departure to the Emirates Stadium.

But senior figures at the club insist United are not going down the same 'Galactico' route as Real Madrid, who regularly spend exorbitant fees on players like they have done recently to sign Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.

The club's hierarchy are assured by the fact that Van Gaal has already promoted the likes of James Wilson, Jesse Lingard, Reece James, Tyler Blackett and Sam Johnstone to the first-team squad.

Van Gaal has also been told by the United board he will have the final say on whether the club takes part in exhibition games this season.

The Old Trafford hierarchy were considering organising money-spinning one-off matches across the globe during the season due to the midweek windows created by the club’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.

With United already out of the League Cup, yet more gaps are available in the schedule.

But it is understood the board are happy for Van Gaal to decide himself whether any exhibition matches should take place.

The board anticipate discussing the topic with the manager in the near future.