"I would be happier" - Van Gaal addresses De Jong start to season after failed Man United transfer

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.

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De Jong has featured in all eight matches for Barcelona this season, though only half of those appearances have seen him feature for longer than half an hour.

The Dutch midfielder will be eager to impress on international duty this week and prove to Van Gaal why he was right to stay at Barcelona this summer.

"It is true that many players called me in the transfer window," began Van Gaal at a press conference. "But I always ended every conversation with: 'This is my advice, but you make your own decision'.

"I am happy with the outcome. But I would be happier if Frenkie and Memphis [Depay] would play more than they are now."

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