The draw of Louis van Gaal is apparently as strong as ever, according to new Manchester United signing Memphis Depay.
In a summer that has seen Manchester United run rampant with player acquisitions, the one that started it all has detailed what set Manchester United apart from the other teams vying for his signature.
“I only spoke to Louis van Gaal and he totally convinced me,” said Depay to Sport Bild. “He gave me the feeling that I was very important for him not only as a player but also as a person - and then it was clear that I would go to Manchester United."
"There were discussions with nearly all the top clubs. Bayern were one of them but, in the end, Manchester United came out on top."
That van Gaal’s persuasiveness was enough to steer Depay away from Bayern Munich is impressive. As big of a club as Manchester United are, there is no question that Bayern is by far in a better position to win trophies in the present and immediate future. Clearly, van Gaal was able to overcome that discrepancy in winning ability.
Depay’s words provide insight into what has been a show of force in the transfer market by Man U this summer. Van Gaal and United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward have also secured the services of Bastian Schweinstieger, Morgan Schneiderlin, and Matteo Darmian since signing Depay.
United needed reinforcements in midfield and defense, and it managed to scoop up two of the very best midfielders in the world, along with a promising defender.
After respectively finishing 7th and 4th in the past two Premier League seasons, it is likely that the name of United, the ability of van Gaal, and the shrewdness of Woodward were the deciding factors in those players’ acquisitions.
Consequently, memes like the ones below not only relevant, but exceedingly accurate; the sentiments they display are over-the-top, just like the success of United’s transfer business.
Ed Woodward vs the World - @BeardedGenius on one of football's great redemption stories... http://t.co/pVkFZs6Cqa pic.twitter.com/PB58l09UQy
— JOE.co.uk (@JOE_co_uk) July 15, 2015Ed Woodward has vowed to have an 'elite' player in every position & that fans should expect more marquee signings. pic.twitter.com/Hvz06xtnnB
— Transfer News Site (@TransferSite) July 13, 2015
I mean, basically yeah. Photo: imgur
Of course, van Gaal still has to turn that transfer success into on-field success. And, with this being the second summer in a row during which United has splashed the cash in service of van Gaal, the pressure to win 3 points each week will be higher than ever.
You can watch Manchester United’s first attempts at becoming the team everyone expects them to be when they take on Club America in the International Champions Cup on July 17, at 11:00 PM EST.
Follow Ivan on Twitter: @yetly
