Appointed Manchester United manager in May 2014, Louis van Gaal wasted no time in putting his own stamp of authority on the squad he inherited from David Moyes.
His first summer in charge saw him bring in a collection of new faces, including the big-money signings of Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid and Luke Shaw from Southampton. United's hierarchy dived deep into their pockets to fund a summer spending spree, in the hope that Van Gaal's appointment would have the desired impact.
However, United finished fourth in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy in his maiden season in charge, resulting in another big recruitment drive the following summer. The 2015/16 campaign brought success in terms of winning a trophy, lifting the FA Cup, but the Reds failed to secure Champions League qualification, resulting in Van Gaal being sacked a few days after the win over Crystal Palace at Wembley in the FA Cup final.
