It’s nearly 2018 and Louis van Gaal is still being blamed for Man United’s problems.
Ryan Giggs has named the three players he thinks Man United should never have sold and believes the Dutchman’s decisions are still impacting the club today.
Jonny Evans, Rafael and Danny Welbeck, three key players in Sir Alex Ferguson’s later years, were all sold between 2014 and 2015.
And Giggs has revealed he argued with Van Gaal over the trio’s exit while working as assistant coach.
The Old Trafford legend told The Times: “There have been a lot who have come through that haven’t been United players and also players who were United players and shouldn’t have left.
“I’m talking about Rafael, Welbeck, Jonny Evans — players who are United through and through.
“It was hard because Louis had his own ideas and you had to respect that, but, yes, we had a few arguments about a couple of them.
“He understood [my position] because I had played with those lads, but they just weren’t for him.
“Some of them, like Welbeck, wanted to play more regularly, and Jonny had a few injuries at the time, so you could understand it.
“But — and it’s not saying it in hindsight — recruitment hasn’t been great either.”
Giggs was also critical of Old Trafford chiefs for failing to act on his advice to sign Kylian Mbappe and Gabriel Jesus.
He added: “I watched Gabriel Jesus play three years ago. I watched [Kylian] Mbappe for a year. I was watching them with the scout and it was a no-brainer.
“It was just like, ‘Get them.’ It would have been £5 million or something — get them, loan them back — and that’s where the recruitment could have been better.”
If United wanted Mbappe and Jesus these days it would probably cost them £300million…