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Van Gaal keen to invest on youth

Manchester-United-v-West-BromLouis Van Gaal has hinted he would rather promote youngsters through the ranks at Manchester United than simply splashing out big fees on proven players.

The Dutchman has spent £250m in his first two transfer windows since arriving at Old Trafford in July last year but, despite fears he might veer away from the club’s ethos of handing young players a chance, he’s promoted a number of players from the youth ranks into the first team.

Jesse Lingard, who scored his first goal for the club on Saturday, Paddy McNair, Andreas Pereira, Tyler Blackett and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who made his debut on the weekend, have all been given an opportunity by Van Gaal.

“As a manager I am well aware that it is much better to produce players from your own youth education, from your own culture, than to buy players from another culture or country or something like that,” he said.

“And I have provided a lot of examples in my managerial career of that. It is not a surprise for my board because they know.”

At Barcelona, Van Gaal handed the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta their first chance to shine, while he did the same at Bayern Munich with the likes of Philip Lahm and Thomas Muller.