Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has criticised the club's transfer policy and has said that they failed to sign the players that he wanted in the summer of 2014, following his arrival at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils signed Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and brought in Radamel Falcao on loan, but the most notable addition that summer was the £59.7m signing of Angel di Maria – a British transfer record at the time.
Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Matteo Darmian and Sergio Romero also joined the club the following year.
"Manchester United did not have the qualities to become champions and had an outdated selection with 10 players over 30. So I told them I was going to rejuvenate and which players should come. I didn't get one of those," the Dutchman told Voetbal International.
"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 £600m and can't buy the players you need. You should buy number one and not number seven.
"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."
Van Gaal was only able to guide United to fourth and then fifth place in the Premier League during his two-year spell with the club, however he did lift the FA Cup in 2016 shortly before his departure from Old Trafford.
Oliver Thomas
