United dismiss Van Gaal reports

Manchester United have distanced themselves from reports in Holland that Louis van Gaal has agreed a three-year deal to become their new manager.

The Dutchman is the favourite to replace the sacked David Moyes at the end of the season, with prominent newspaper De Telegraaf claiming that the 62-year-old agreed a deal on Friday.

The report said that Van Gaal met United chief executive Ed Woodward and a member of the Glazer family, the club’s owners, at his private villa in the Algarve.

It added that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach, who will lead Holland at this summer’s World Cup, would be free to choose his own backroom staff, claiming he would likely take Patrick Kluivert as his number two.

But United, who have put Ryan Giggs in charge until the end of the season, denied the reports, with a spokesman saying: “There is nothing to report. We have not signed a new manager. When we have something to report, we will announce it.”

Any move for Van Gaal would now appear to be a contradiction of the wishes of Alex Ferguson.

The Scot, whose retirement teed up the appointment of Moyes, yesterday appeared to put his weight behind Giggs getting the job on a full-time basis.

“I think that Giggs is the one man they should go to really,’’ Ferguson said at a charity dinner.

“He’s got 20-odd years of experience at Manchester United. I signed him as a kid at 13 years of age.

“He’s gone through the gamut of emotions at the club... he’s experienced all the highs and lows.”