Summary
Van Gaal's United tenure wasn't all bad; club's recruitment struggles undermined his efforts.
Missed opportunities in the transfer market highlight a flawed recruitment strategy for United.
Striking a balance between youth and experience could have prevented key players from slipping through the cracks.
In hindsight, Louis van Gaal’s time at the Manchester United helm wasn’t the doom and gloom many at Old Trafford made it out to be. The Dutchman steadied a sinking ship following the nadirs that his predecessor David Moyes had dug up, steering the club back into the Champions League before adding an FA Cup to the trophy cabinet, only for his tenure to be cut short just as the paint was drying on his achievements two days after Jesse Lingard's emphatic winner at Wembley Stadium.
The club’s hierarchy largely justified Van Gaal’s sacking by pointing to his rigid, possession-based style, as those upstairs criticised it as dull and lacking the traditional attacking flair United fans craved. But a quick look at the players he wanted between 2014 and 2016, versus the ones he actually got, tells a sobering story of how he was left to fight an uphill battle in one of football’s toughest jobs.
Among the 14 players Van Gaal was handed during his time in Manchester were Morgan Schneiderlin, Radamel Falcao, and a Bastian Schweinsteiger well past his expiry date. But what about the ones he wanted and never received that the Manchester Evening News reported?
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Robert Lewandowski
Barcelona
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski
Throughout much of the post-Ferguson era, those overseeing recruitment at Old Trafford have struggled to strike the right balance between youthful promise and seasoned experience. Too often, managers have been handed players either too raw to be sure of their potential or past their prime, coasting on reputation rather than ability.
A 26-year-old Robert Lewandowski, however, could have been the perfect antidote to this flawed strategy. Instead, he joined Bayern Munich in 2014, where he racked up 344 goals in 375 appearances and fired them to Champions League glory. Now, at 36, he’s leading the charge for Barcelona, still proving his class as one of the greatest players never to win a Ballon d’Or - a generational talent and a glaring miss in United’s long and troubled search for a new No. 9.
Gonzalo Higuain
Retired
Gonzalo Higuain
A brief glance at Gonzalo Higuain's underwhelming spell at Chelsea might suggest that United’s hierarchy made the right call by ignoring Van Gaal's recommendation to bring the Argentine to Old Trafford. However, there was once a time when the former Real Madrid and Napoli striker was regarded as one of the most respected forwards in the world.
He was a hard-working, opportunistic goalscorer, though he frequently faced criticism for disappearing in the big games. Whether he would have been a good fit for the Red Devils is still up for debate, especially when you consider that some of the world’s most promising attacking talents have floundered at Old Trafford - just ask Memphis Depay. However, in the years after his United snub, Higuain would become a serial Serie A champion with Juventus and become one of Inter Miami's top goalscorers before hanging up his boots for the final time in 2022.
Neymar
Santos
Neymar responds to Rivaldo
For many, Neymar is still regarded as one of the greatest modern footballers, outside of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi duopoly. For that reason alone, his arrival at Manchester United would have been a thrilling prospect. However, considering his £71 million move from his boyhood club Santos to Barcelona had only just been completed a season earlier, it was an unrealistic target for a club rapidly falling from its former heights.
Neymar would go on to win a Champions League alongside strike partners Messi and Luis Suarez, before becoming one of the highest-paid footballers in the world at both Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal. However, it must be noted that injuries played a significant role in preventing him from fully realising his immense potential as he recently opted to have his career go in a complete circle as he returned to Santos at the start of 2025.
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Sadio Mane
Al-Nassr
Sadio Mane
Another of Manchester United's ongoing struggles is their inability to find players who can keep up with the pace of the Premier League. Considered the toughest league in the world, it's no surprise that few can meet its relentless demands. However, few proved more adept at doing so than Sadio Mane, who very nearly found himself playing for the wrong side of England's two most successful clubs before making the cross-country move from Southampton to Liverpool in 2016.
The Senegalese international, a two-time African Player of the Year, must be grateful for his move to Anfield. In 2014, with both Liverpool and Manchester United in a trophy drought, he could hardly have predicted the success that would follow under Jurgen Klopp. But after 120 goals, 40 assists, and 269 appearances, Mane ended his time on Merseyside having won both the Premier League and the Champions League. Without a doubt, he has solidified his place as one of the greatest African footballers of all time, and he can now be spotted playing in Saudi Arabia with Cristiano Ronaldo - not bad.
Riyad Mahrez
Al-Ahli
Riyad Mahrez celebrates scoring for Manchester City
That's right, United overlooked two wingers they were recommended by Van Gaal who went on to help their biggest rivals to unprecedented success - the second being Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian star was an important part of Manchester City's side that secured their historic treble in the 2022/23 campaign.
He became a household name in the Premier League during his time with Leicester City, playing an instrumental role in the Foxes' Premier League triumph in 2016, featuring alongside N'Golo Kante and Jamie Vardy. He left England for Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli in 2023 with five Premier League winners' medals to his name, and is yet another forward who will be sure to count their lucky stars that they never ended up wasting their talent under the guise of a club who talks the talk but has repeatedly failed to walk the walk.
Thomas Muller
Bayern Munich
MixCollage-27-Sep-2024-08-47-PM-6963
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted that he too tried and failed to sign Thomas Muller, having been notified of his talents when the German was just 10 years old. Considering United's greatest-ever manager couldn't steal him from Bayern Munich, it was nearly impossible that Van Gaal could be the one to get the deal over the line.
The 35-year-old is the very embodiment of Bayern Munich, and while his often-underrated talents would have been a blessing for the Red Devils, there was little chance he would leave his comfortable life in Bavaria for the tough grind of Manchester. Thomas Muller is the epitome of a one-club man, having made 741 appearances for Die Roten at the time of writing, scoring 247 goals, providing 273 assists, and playing a pivotal role in 12 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League triumphs. He also ranks among the top for most assists in World Cup history, having helped Germany secure the 2014 World Cup.
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James Milner
Brighton & Hove Albion
James Milner
Every successful team needs a player like James Milner. The veteran midfielder-turned-defender may not have been one to grab the headlines or score those dramatic goals, but his tireless work ethic and relentless performances in the shadows allowed the surrounding stars to shine. A loyal and dependable figure throughout Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp era, the Leeds-born stalwart may have been the definition of understated, but his impact was anything but boring - his effectiveness brought about a Premier League and Champions League after all.
Throughout football history, there have been countless system players who quietly held everything together. Michael Carrick, during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign, is a perfect example of this, and Milner could have easily been his successor at Manchester United, had the club's decision-makers not placed more value on the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger at the time.
N'Golo Kante
Al-Ittihad
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When Van Gaal first brought N'Golo Kante to his bosses' attention, he was a quiet, energetic midfielder working in the shadows of French football with Caen. Before long, that unassuming young talent would make an unnoticed £5.6 million move to Leicester City, with no one realising the whirlwind that was about to unfold.
Kante would prove to be the heart and soul of Leicester's miraculous 5000-1 Premier League title win, before claiming another league title with Chelsea, lifting a Champions League trophy, and helping France win the 2018 World Cup. In hindsight, he may very well be one of the most significant missed opportunities of the Van Gaal era.
Sergio Ramos
Monterrey
Sergio Ramos celebrates
Given that Van Gaal was booed off stage by his superiors for employing a dull playing style, it’s somewhat surprising to discover that the Dutchman's 10-player wishlist included only two defenders. But none were as far-fetched as the prospect of signing Sergio Ramos. The no-nonsense Spaniard was in the midst of a glorious reign at Real Madrid, and any offer for him would have likely been met with laughter.
These days, Ramos is winding down his career in Mexico with Monterrey. Yet, he’ll retire with a legacy that towers over most. Widely regarded as the greatest defender in Champions League history, the 38-year-old lifted the trophy five times and was named to the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 an impressive 11 times. A mentality monster and serial winner, Ramos was always destined to stick with the riches of being a galactico, rather than attempt to work miracles at the Theatre of Dreams.
Mats Hummels
Roma
Mats Hummels celebrates for Borussia Dortmund
As much of a leader as he was a centre-back, Mats Hummels stands as one of the finest defenders in football history. In an era that’s been lacking the likes of Jaap Stam, Rio Ferdinand, and Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United have long been craving a defender with the strength, presence, and passion of the 38-year-old.
It’s fair to say that players like Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo weren’t quite up to scratch back in 2014, while current defenders like Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans have done little to shore up the backline. Hummels could have provided United with a true leader in their defence, but was it realistic to expect him to leave Germany at that point? Probably not. Instead, he went on to win five Bundesliga titles before joining Roma as a free agent in 2024. He had also led Borussia Dortmund to a second Champions League final in the past decade, only to fall short against Ramos' Real Madrid.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 23/03/2025)