Manchester United dismisses press reports in the Netherlands that the club has signed Louis van Gaal
MANCHESTER United has dismissed press reports in the Netherlands that the club has agreed to a three-year deal with Louis van Gaal.
EPL
Don't miss out on the headlines from EPL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MANCHESTER United has dismissed press reports in the Netherlands that the club has agreed to a three-year deal with Louis van Gaal for him to replace the sacked David Moyes as coach.
Sports front page of De Telegraaf: Louis van Gaal is the new manager of Manchester United. Agreed terms yesterday. pic.twitter.com/hiiHKpYprm
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) April 26, 2014
Popular broadsheet De Telegraaf said Saturday that “the national coach (Van Gaal) late last (Friday) night reached a deal with the top British club,” to take over as manager after the World Cup.
“The man who's the absolute number one to replace axed coach David Moyes will immediately take up the job when the Dutch Eleven is knocked out of the World Cup in Brazil,” the paper added. Van Gaal, 62, who has been on holiday at his villa in Portugal's Algarve “has been in talks with Ed Woodward, lawyer for club owners the Glazer brothers for a multi-year, multi-million contract,” it said, without citing any sources.
But United, who have put veteran player Ryan Giggs in charge until the end of the season, quickly denied the reports.
“There is nothing to report. We have not signed a new manager. When we have something to report, we will announce it,” a club spokesman said.
Any move for Van Gaal would now appear to run against the wishes of former manager Alex Ferguson, a club director who is still hugely influential.
The Scot, whose retirement teed up the appointment of Moyes - a decision he was a driving force behind - on Friday appeared to put his weight behind Giggs getting the job on a full-time basis. “I think that he (Giggs) is the one man they should go to really,” Ferguson said at a charity dinner, according to the Daily Telegraph.
“He's got 20-odd years of experience at Manchester United. I signed him as a kid at 13 years of age. He's gone through the gamut of emotions at the club - he's experienced all the highs and lows.”