Louis van Gaal insists he never told any Dutch player what they should do in the summer transfer window, but admits that he wishes Frenkie de Jong was playing more often than he currently is.
Manchester United's failed pursuit of De Jong was one of the defining stories of the summer, with Erik ten Hag's side chasing the Barcelona star for over 100 days before finally turning their attention to Casemiro instead.
United had agreed a fee with Barcelona for the Dutch international, but a move was complicated by the fact that De Jong was owed €17m over a wage deferral he agreed to in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The 25-year-old also made it clear his preference was to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place at the club.
