Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has revealed that the injury crisis at Old Trafford has eased while declaring that United are looking to make sharp and quick decisions in the Winter transfer market.
Manchester United signed their first player in the January transfer window by wrapping up the deal with Victor Valdes. Speaking about the former Barcelona man, Van Gaal has revealed that he is satisfied with his new goal-keeper but has warned De Gea that Valdes will not be happy to merely sit on the Old Trafford bench.
a When you invite Victor Valdes to have his rehabilitation here at Manchester united, you do that for him, but also for yourself. I had the chance to see him and his behaviour in rehabilitation but also if his quality was still the same. He has confirmed both and that is very important for me and also for him because when I am satisfied then mostly the players are satisfied.a
a Nobody is happy to be no.2 and he has to have ambition to beat David De Gea, but it shall be very hard for him.a
a My ambition is that I have the best players who can cooperate with each other to form the best team in the world.a
So where does that leave Anders Lindegaard? Van Gaal has made it clear that Valdes will be the number two choice at Manchester United which means that Lindegaard will have to leave the Old Trafford looking for a fresh move in his career.
a [Valdes] fits more in the profile that I have of a goalkeeper, and thata s it.a
Speaking about the transfer window, Van Gaal once again refused to divulge any details but did remark that United were the first club to buy a player in this window and hence were looking to mark sharp, quick transfers whenever possible.
“No, no, in this transfer window I do not discuss with you. You can ask in another way but I am always saying the same answer.a
“We were the first to buy a player. We were very quick to buy Victor Valdes. You notice? Manchester a we deal quickly. When we can, we deal quickly.a
Manchester United have been plagued with injuries ever since Van Gaal arrived at Old Trafford. However the Dutchman has revealed that the injury crisis has finally eased at Old Trafford with Rojo and Blind returning to training.
a We have only one player injured. Can you believe it? Only one. I have to select for the first team in my career at Manchester United the eleven and the eighteen players.a
Speaking about Ashley Young who is the only injured player at Carrington, Van Gaal revealed that Young will be out for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. The manager also spoke about Angel Di Maria and revealed that though his players are free from injuries, they are not match-fit, as in the case of Di Maria.
a Four weeks to six weeks (for Ashley Young), I think. Ita s always difficult to predict in a muscle disease. Blind has trained a full week with us. Will he be fit to play? Maybe, I cannot say that because I have to select.a
“Angel Di Maria has played only 20 minutes and thata s because of the match rhythm that I gave. I have said I have only one injured player, but I dona t have 100 per cent match fit players. Thata s a different thing, but of course Di Maria is for example further than Daley Blind or Rojo. I have to select the best team and also I have to watch the qualities of Southampton, how I can reduce that quality by my line-up but also by our game-plan.a
With his plan slowly coming together at Manchester United, it will be interesting to see how the team shapes up under Van Gaal as the English Premier League enters its crunch phase.