• Premier League

United can't finish seventh again, says Giggs

Ryan Giggs has insisted Manchester United "can't" finish seventh again this season and believes their summer spending has given them the players to get back into the Champions League.

New manager Louis van Gaal took his summer spending past £150 million on deadline day as he brought in on-loan striker Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind to join record buy Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw among the newcomers.

Van Gaal happy with the hard life

Louis van Gaal wants more big signings © PA Photos

• Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he knew he was taking on a big rebuilding job at Old Trafford and has no regrets about becoming David Moyes' successor after a difficult start to the season.
• Click here to read the full story
• Perhaps the reason why Van Gaal has no regrets the United owners, the Glazers, are continuing to give him substantial backing in the transfer market.
• Click here to read the full story
• Radamel Falcao is one of United's summer signings, with the Colombian moving from Monaco on loan, and his arrival sparked speculation about the fitness of Robin van Persie. However, United's Dutch striker insists he does not need knee surgery and has welcomed the competition.
• Click here to read the full story

Assistant manager Giggs, who finished last season in interim charge after David Moyes' sacking, is adamant this season will not be a repeat of their worst campaign in a quarter of a century.

"When you're at United you've got to win trophies, simple as that," he told the Daily Telegraph. "Coming seventh last year wasn't good enough.

"We haven't started well this season, but we have to look to win something. We've got to be looking to contest the Premier League and look to get back in the Champions League. I honestly believe, with the players we've now got, we're not far off."

Giggs greeted Falcao, who was borrowed from Monaco on Monday, by telling the Colombian that he has signed for the world's biggest club.

He added: "For me this is the biggest club in the world, no question. Coming seventh doesn't diminish that. But it can't happen again. Now we need to go out and prove it."

Giggs became a player-coach under former manager David Moyes last season before being appointment Van Gaal's assistant.

He said the Dutchman, a keen tactician, is much more of a training-ground coach than Sir Alex Ferguson, under whom Giggs won 13 Premier League titles.

"I spend a lot of time talking about football with him," the 40-year-old. "He loves talking about systems, about structure; he loves talking about individuals, about what players can and can't do. You could talk to him all day and learn so much. It's obviously great for me."

"Obviously the manager - sorry, Sir Alex - had his ways of working, basically his man-management was brilliant, his knowledge was brilliant, but he left the day-to-day stuff to Steve McClaren, Brian Kidd, Carlos Queiroz, Rene [Meulensteen] and Mick [Phelan].

"Louis is more hands-on regarding what we're doing day to day, he takes the sessions. It's all very precise. He's very vocal during training, very keen to communicate exactly what it is he wants and expects."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd