Manchester United are putting Louis van Gaal transfer theory to the test

Eight years can feel like a lifetime in football. In 2014 Louis van Gaal was talking up the merits of signing players for Manchester United from Holland, while this summer he's been warning his Netherlands internationals about the risks of moving to Old Trafford.

United's transfer strategy under their second Dutch manager this summer isn't hard to decipher. There is a thread running through all of their targets and that is experience of life in the Eredivisie.

Frenkie de Jong fired himself onto the world stage through his performances at Ajax and has since spent three years at Barcelona before his expected switch to United.

READ MORE: United agree deals to sign De Jong and Malacia

For Tyrell Malacia this will be his first taste of football outside of his home country and the same would have been true had Jurrien Timber not got cold feet after Van Gaal's warning for his international prospects.

United will instead move on to his centre-back partner Lisandro Martinez, potentially battling Arsenal for his signature. Ajax is Martinez's first club in Europe and the same is true of Antony, the 22-year-old winger Erik ten Hag is also keen on.

Christian Eriksen began his club career at Ajax but has since proven his ability to step up from the Eredivisie, as De Jong has done at the Nou Camp. For Malacia, Martinez and Antony that challenge still awaits them.

Perhaps no other European league has provided signings to the Premier League that can fluctuate so wildly in terms of achievements to expectations. Spotting players ready to excel away from Holland hasn't been easy and there have been plenty of duds who shined in the Eredivisie but flopped once they'd crossed the North Sea.

Mateja Kezman, Afonso Alves, Jozy Altidore