‘Super agent’ claims United didn’t want Van Gaal

Matt Stead

An Italian ‘super agent’ has claimed that Louis van Gaal was not Manchester United’s first choice to replace David Moyes.

Van Gaal was appointed United manager in summer 2014, with Moyes having been sacked as boss in April of that year. Current assistant manager Ryan Giggs had replaced the Scot in the interim, before Van Gaal signed a three-year contract at Old Trafford at the end of the season.

But Italian ‘super agent’ Vincenzo Morabito claims that Van Gaal was never United’s first choice to replace Moyes, and that the club’s hierarchy actually approached Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone first.

“In the spring of 2014, United contacted me – they had chosen Simeone to take over from Moyes,” Morabito told Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

“I called Natalia, his agent and sister, to organise a meeting in Madrid. When we arrived, Natalia greeted us in a hotel.

“Simeone wasn’t present as he had the return leg of the Champions League semi-final and was still trying to win La Liga. He didn’t want any further speculation. United made an offer, which required a response within 10 days. Diego said no.”