• Premier League

Van Gaal begins work at United

Louis van Gaal has reportedly told his Manchester United players to target the Premier League title after taking training for the first time.

The Dutchman met players and staff at United's Carrington training complex on Wednesday morning as well as posing for pictures with assistant manager Ryan Giggs and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.

Our new boss is at the Aon Training Complex now, meeting the players and staff. #mufc pic.twitter.com/GfQxekRGwR— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 16, 2014

Welcome to Manchester, Louis van Gaal. #mufc pic.twitter.com/g6ZeyQtESM— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 16, 2014

Van Gaal will be officially presented to the media at 3pm on Thursday before flying out with his squad for United's pre-season tour of America on Friday.

After landing at Manchester airport at 11:50am, Van Gaal was taken to Carrington in a black Chevrolet before being briefed by his staff, which also includes Albert Stuivenberg and Marcel Bout, over which players had impressed during his absence.

According to the Guardian, Van Gaal then took his first training session - and the second of the day - at 5.30pm, telling his players the aim is to reclaim the Premier League title next season.

At 1pm Van Gaal is said to have taken lunch with the first-team players and young players along with all the coaching staff, as he had ordered to be the new routine.

Aside from his press conference, Van Gaal is expected to devote most of Thursday to discussing the club's ongoing transfer business with Woodward.

Having declined the offer to take a post-World Cup break, Van Gaal's arrival comes just four days after he guided the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the World Cup in Brazil. He was appointed to succeed David Moyes at Old Trafford in May.

In Van Gaal's absence, Giggs has been taking charge of pre-season training since July 4 with United's players who are not on holiday following their World Cup exertions, including new signing Ander Herrera.

United's tour takes in fixtures against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Roma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, before Van Gaal takes charge of the team at Old Trafford for the first time in a friendly against Valencia on August 12.

United then open their Premier League campaign at home to Swansea four days later.

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