• Premier League

Van Gaal wants quick United decision

Louis van Gaal is hopeful a deal to make him next Manchester United manager can be agreed this week so he will not be distracted during his World Cup campaign with the Netherlands.

United have held discussions with Van Gaal and his representatives and terms are thought to among the topics covered after the club sacked David Moyes last Tuesday.

However, while United insisted on Saturday that no deal had been agreed between the two parties and are still considering other candidates, Van Gaal is keen for his future to be finalised as soon as possible so as not to disturb his preparations for Brazil, which begin with the Dutch team on May 7.

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"I think I have to concentrate on the World Cup because I am coach of the Dutch team," Van Gaal was quoted as saying by the Sun.

Former Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert, who is working with Van Gaal for the national side, is a leading candidate to move with the Dutchman to Old Trafford as an assistant but there is also the prospect of interim player-manager Ryan Giggs staying on in some capacity.

Despite steering United to a 4-0 victory against Norwich in his first game in charge, Giggs, who is keen on the United job, said his Old Trafford future has not been resolved.

"I think that's another conversation," Giggs said. "I don't know what I'm doing about playing, I don't know what's going to happen, so again it's something that I'll think about and decide with the appropriate people after the season."

Whoever ultimately takes charge at United for next season, it seems Moyes is likely to leave a legacy at United with the club's summer transfer dealings influenced by the sacked manager, a source has told ESPN.

The Scot revamped United's scouting system and compiled shortlists and long lists of players for every position and said in a statement last week that the club needed a "fundamental rebuilding" of the squad.

Moyes scouted assiduously and a source told ESPN that Old Trafford insiders believe he had an excellent eye for a player - despite the failure this season of £27.5 million signing Marouane Fellaini. As a result, the club have not jettisoned his recommendations on player recruitment.

Moyes' final scouting trip for United was to watch Southampton draw 0-0 at Aston Villa and their defender, Luke Shaw, has emerged as a target for the 2013 Premier League champions, whose first-choice left-back Patrice Evra is out of contract in the summer.

Teenager Shaw, who was named in the PFA Team of the Year on Sunday, told Sky Sports: "It's a good thing to be linked with them, but I don't concentrate with that stuff. I've got football to focus on. That's my only thinking.

"[Southampton] is a great club, I'm still young and I've got plenty to learn. It's all rumours. I'm just focusing on the two games I've got left and then see what happens."

Shaw's Southampton captain Adam Lallana was another player Moyes watched regularly while midfielder William Carvalho and Toni Kroos were other targets, although no deals have been tied up.

Van Gaal reportedly wants to sign his fellow Dutchman Kevin Strootman, but the Roma midfielder is another who United have monitored.

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