REAL HAND AUBA DEADLINE
WHAT HE’S WON
REAL MADRID have set Arsenal a June 15 deadline for a decision over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The La Liga giants are among the clubs chasing the Gunners striker, who has just 13 months left on his contract in north London.
Aubameyang is not expected to sign a new deal at the Emirates, leaving Arsenal
LOUIS VAN GAAL has compared his last six months as manager of Manchester United to being sent to the gallows.
Almost four years since Van Gaal was ruthlessly sacked by the Reds – just 24 hours after lifting the FA Cup – the Dutchman has revealed how he ended up feeling like his head was in a noose.
The former Holland, Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich boss still hasn’t forgiven United chief executive Ed Woodward for the role he played as his chief executioner – nor Jose Mourinho for succeeding him.
And Van Gaal admitted how he forced Woodward to pay him every penny of his £8million compensation because of how he was axed.
Van Gaal said: “The hardest thing was trying to survive as Manchester United’s manager when I had my head in a noose for six months.
“From January until the end of the season, my wife Truus warned me. She is a woman – and a woman has an instinct for things like this.
“I did not see what Woodward was up to, but women have different qualities than men.
“I really did not sense that they were plotting something.
“I was wholly convinced that I’d be able to see out my contract and have a third season at United.
“And it was the biggest surprise of my life when Woodward sacked me.
“I had faced resistance internally at other clubs and federations before. But that was with a decision between cashing in now or allowing his contract to run down.
Real want to sign him, but they won’t wait beyond the middle of next month.
One option the Spaniards wanted to explore was a potential swap deal including Dani Ceballos.
Swaps will be favoured by plenty of clubs on the Continent this summer, given nothing compared to what I had to put up with at Man United.
“At Barcelona, I walked away because I was loyal to the president. I waved away £5m.
“But my principles were more important at United – I had achieved so much there.”
Van Gaal, 68, walked away from management after being informed of his sacking within hours of leading United to victory over Crystal Palace at Wembley in May 2016.
It was the final triumph of a career that had seen him win titles in Holland, Spain and Germany – and lift the Champions
League for Ajax in 1995.
He also guided Holland to a third-placed finish at the 2014 World Cup before taking over at Old Trafford.
But Van Gaal said: “You know, what I achieved at Man United I consider the biggest performance in my entire career.
“Bigger than any other trophy or what I did with Holland in the
World Cup in
Brazil. And, the losses each due to the coronavirus crisis.
But sources close to Real say the club know a swap deal would not be easy and there is an acceptance in Madrid that it will cost around £40million to land Gabon international Aubameyang.
Ceballos, meanwhile, wants to return to Madrid for the 2020-21 campaign after spending the season at for more than one reason, I see my work at United as bigger than anything else.
“We won the FA Cup with 10 men in extra-time at Wembley. The FA Cup is the most prestigious national cup competition in the world, so I was immensely proud to win that.”
But Van Gaal still hasn’t forgiven Mourinho for the way he stepped in as his replacement.
The two men worked together when the Portuguese was Van Gaal’s assistant at Barcelona.
But the Dutchman believes the Spurs boss owes him an apology.
He said: “In my opinion, it should be Mourinho who should speak up about what happened – if he would be prepared to do so.
“But Mourinho does not have to call me any more. I was left with my head in a noose, waiting to be hanged all that time after January.
“But I still kept the trust of the players, so I am proud. It was a massive achievement that year.”
Van Gaal added: “Manchester United is by far the most beautiful, the best and most challenging club in England. That is why I chose United, at the last minute, above Tottenham.
“I’d been really keen on signing for Tottenham because I loved that club when I was young – my idol was Jimmy Greaves.
“But they are not the No.1 club in England. That is Manchester United. “And everyone knows that in my career I only ever wanted to sign for the No.1 club in every country where I worked.”
Arsenal. But he will do so only if he receives assurances that he will play regularly in Zinedine Zidane’s team.
The midfielder had been linked with a move to Sevilla, but Ceballos yesterday ruled that out as a possibility.
Real should know by June plans for the Spanish season and want a clear picture on Arsenal’s plans for Aubameyang then as well.