Louis van Gaal slams Man Utd transfer approach and sticks boot in with Liverpool remark

Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has slammed the Red Devils approach in the transfer market and compared it to that of Premier League rivals Liverpool with Arne Slot

Louis van Gaal has made a cutting remark on Manchester United, labelling the a ‘commercial club, not a football club’. The Dutch coach believes the Red Devils need too empower manager Ruben Amorim if they hope to be able to replicate the success of Liverpool under Arne Slot.

Van Gaal was in the Old Trafford hot seat for two seasons from 2014 until 2016 and won the FA Cup in his second term in charge. The 73-year-old was left surprised by the team’s inability to land first choice options despite its commercial wealth.

United’s ability in the transfer market has long been called into question with accusations of overpaying for players who have not been good enough. The 13-times Premier League champions have seen few outright wins in their incoming business with the exception of Bruno Fernandes.

The likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Antony have failed to set the Theatre of Dreams alight in recent seasons, but issues stretch back further than that in the mind of Van Gaal.

“They are a commercial club, not a football club,” Van Gaal told Sky Sports.

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“I have said that before and that’s always difficult. When the manager is not deciding which players have to come in, it is very difficult.”

“I think that it is is the way that it should be,” he added. “Because then you can fire a manager because he doesn’t give any results. But when other people buy the players, then you have a problem.

“You need to have the knowledge of the manager, the orientation of the manager, because he has to train them.”

And, really sticking the boot in, Van Gaal pointed to Premier League rivals Liverpool as a team United should replicate. The ex-Bayern Munich boss reckons Reds head coach has a pivotal role in Liverpool’s transfer business, despite adding just one player to his squad last summer.

“Arne Slot is the man who says to his technical manager that he has to buy this player, pay attention to it,” Van Gaal commented.

The Dutchman has long been criticial of his former team’s transfer approach. Van Gaal claimed that he did not receive the players he asked for during his time at the club, and the side’s transfer business was held to ransom.

“Manchester United did not have the qualities to become champions and had an outdated selection with 10 players over 30, five over 35,” he told Voetbal International in 2020. “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 £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.”

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