Two more to Tango
> Van Gaal wants two more signings for United with Bayern duo top of list
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Louis Van Gaal is looking for two more players to complete his summer shopping spree after warning that the club must never again finish outside the top three.
Van Gaal is irked that United face a potentially hazardous two legged play off next month to qualify for the group stage of the lucrative Champions League after ending up in fourth place following his first season in charge.
That is why he is adamant there should be no repeat of what he classes as a campaign of under achievement and why he is splashing the cash with four signings already, Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Matteo Darmian at a total cost of around £80 million (RM464m).
He wants a front line striker and a central defender plus a top keeper if David de Gea finally departs for his dream club Real Madrid.
Van Gaal would take either of Bayern Munich’s strikers, Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski if the German club could be persuaded to let another star leave the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford in the footsteps of Schweinsteiger and is also monitoring the situation surrounding Barcelona’s £22million (RM128m) rated forward Pedro.
He is in talks with Argentina international keeper Sergio Romero, a free agent after leaving Sampdoria, to replace the outgoing Victor Valdes and would make a £20million (RM116m) move for Ajax’s Dutch international keeper Jasper Cillessen if De Gea departs for Spain.
Van Gaal wants to stage a concerted title challenge. He confessed: “We are not finished yet (over spending). As I have said many times we need a balance in the selection. I think we need to improve at least two positions and we shall do that.
“You always have to improve yourselves. Last season we were fourth and that was not good enough.
“We have to finish this season at least in the top three because we have to play a match to qualify for the Champions League and that is not so easy.
“So I think we have to improve the selection (squad). The selection also needs a good spirit and when new players are coming the spirit is challenged and that is good in the team bonding process I believe.”
Sources close to Argentina star Angel di Maria claim he is prepared to sacrifice £15m (RM87m) in loyalty payments to move to Paris with his agent, Jorge Mendes, trying to set up the deal in the French capital this week.
United would like to swap PSG striker Edinson Cavani, 28, for wantaway Di Maria. But France’s top club insist they plan to keep the Uruguayan.
United want to keep Angel di Maria and the ex-Real Madrid man will have to ask for a move if he wants to quit Old Trafford.
But it is understood Van Gaal has assured the player he is still very much part of his plans despite his summer spending spree on four players and his interest in Barcelona star Pedro.
But while sympathetic to Di Maria, United think the off-thefield aspect has been overplayed by outsiders and they will only let him depart if he submits a formal transfer request.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, could join Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in the race for Barcelona’s £22m-rated Pedro, 27.
The situation with Belgium’s De Bruyne, 24, is that City are prepared to double his pay to 140,000 (RM812,000)-a-week.
His German club Wolfsburg reiterated yesterday that they expect the former Chelsea player to stay.
But City are refusing to give up on one of their top targets – even if they have pay £50m (RM290m) for the Bundesliga star. – The Independent