VAN GAAL’S FINALLY READY FOR A MOVE
But it’s a new house, not a new club he’s after!
LOUIS VAN GAAL is so intent on completing his three- year contract at Manchester United that he is looking for a new home in Cheshire. Van Gaal’s future remains uncertain as United prepare for tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round trip to Derby County, but the 64-year-old is in no mood to quit while he retains the support of Old Trafford chief Ed Woodward.
And Van Gaal (below) has underlined his determination to stay by house-hunting with his wife Truus in recent weeks.
The lease on their £5,500-a-month fourbedroom apartment near Hale is due to expire shortly, but the couple are said to be happy in the Cheshire village and want to find somewhere else to live in the area.
Van Gaal’s three-year deal runs until the summer of 2017, when the former Barcelona boss insists he will retire and spend much of his time with his wife at their holiday home in Portugal.
There has been speculation that he will not make it to the end of his second season after United dropped to fifth place in the table.
Fans’ frustration over the torpid performances under Van Gaal reached breaking point during last Saturday’s home defeat by Southampton, and the manager faces further unrest if United go out of the Cup at Derby. But Van Gaal is said to be in regular contact with executive vice-chairman Woodward and believes he still has the backing of United’s hierarchy.
At least he will have captain Wayne Rooney available for the trip to the iPro Stadium after the striker’s wife Coleen gave birth to their third son, Kit, on Sunday.
Rooney converted a 90th-minute penalty to knock out League One side Sheffield United at Old Trafford in the third round, and he knows that United face an even tougher challenge away to the Championship promotion chasers.
‘The players who joined us last year and played against Cambridge and Yeovil will have seen an FA Cup tie like this is more a battle than a game,’ said Rooney. ‘We have to be ready as the Cup is full of surprises.’ Derby have their own problems, with the third-round win against Hartlepool being their only victory in six matches. But United captain Rooney added: ‘Derby have nothing to lose. No-one is expecting them to win and they will try to cause an upset. Sheffield United at home was a tough game, so we have to be ready to battle and win the battle.’
The deficiencies within United’s flagging youth academy were exposed again yesterday when their Under 18s suffered an 11th straight league defeat in going down 2-0 to neighbours Manchester City.
It followed a 5-1 FA Youth Cup thrashing at the hands of Chelsea, and Under 18 coach Paul McGuinness is likely to come under scrutiny as United conduct an overhaul of their youth system in the coming months.
Meanwhile, United have given defender Marcos Rojo permission to return to Argentina for personal reasons.
Rojo will continue his recuperation from a shoulder operation in Buenos Aires under the supervision of the Argentina national team doctors.