Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal may have cost Manchester United another signing this summer as he reportedly warned Jurrien Timber that he would not go to the World Cup this November if he was not playing regular football.
Timber has emerged as a major transfer target this summer, with new boss Erik ten Hag reportedly keen to take his star defender with him from Ajax to Old Trafford, and a deal seemed to be well underway.
However, reports over the last week have instead suggested that Timber is minded to remain in Amsterdam this summer instead of heading to Manchester, signalling a major change of heart.
And, according to Sky Sports, this is because former Manchester United boss and now Dutch national team manager Louis Van Gaal offered the 21-year-old some words of wisdom.
Unfortunately for the Red Devils, those words came in the form of warning the youngster that he would not be considered for the Dutch national team in November if he were not playing every week, something that a move to Manchester would certainly jeopardise.
🗣️ “Louis Van Gaal made it clear that he would not be in his Dutch team if he wasn’t playing every week for United”
Marcel Van Der Kraan reports that Louis Van Gaal may have affected Jurrien Timber’s potential transfer to Manchester United ❌ pic.twitter.com/Gtn1sOuV2M
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 19, 2022
Frenkie de Jong still coming?
It is not the first time this summer that Van Gaal has hampered Manchester United’s transfer plans, with comments surrounding Frenkie De Jong not having gone down well with the Red Devil hierarchy.
Speaking to the media on the back of his side’s Nations League meeting with Wales at the beginning of June, Netherlands boss van Gaal unveiled his own valuation of de Jong’s talents:
“I already knew how important Frenkie is. I don’t need to see that any more,” the Dutch tactician began.
“Frenkie brings extra quality, that’s why he is worth €112 million.”
While it may end up not having any effect on any final deal between Barcelona and Manchester United, it would certainly be classed as an unhelpful comment about a potential deal.