Get the day's biggest United stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Louis van Gaal has backed Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward in the transfer market after the saga over Pedro.

Despite £80m worth of early summer buys with newcomers Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian, this week's mystery over what happened with the Pedro transfer has turned the spotlight on Woodward's dealings with fans and critics putting him under the spotlight.

But the United manager is having none of it.

“I have the idea that you want to separate Ed Woodward with me. Never. Never. From every day I am updated by him and I trust him,” said Van Gaal.

“I don't think they have to doubt Ed Woodward because he has proven for many years he is the right person on the right spot.”

More United news

United pulled out of the deal to sign Barca's 27-year-old World Cup winner Pedro and he immediately signed for Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.

The Reds interest in Southampton's Sadio Mane emerged in the aftermath but Van Gaal wouldn't be drawn on the Senegalese striker.

“I cannot answer that question (on Mane) either because if I do then I interfere and I don't want to interfere. Ed Woodward is doing the things and he does it very well I think.

“ All that we are doing is guiding a process and in that process we make decisions and I think when we want Pedro it was not any problem because there was a clause in his contract so it was the most easiest transfer.

“You can write what you want but we cannot say what we want. That's the difference. I have the responsibility of protecting the interest of the club and my players. I cannot say too much.

“When you ask me 'Pedro is he fitting in the profile?' I cannot lie and I said yes but I didn't say I was interested in the player.”

Asked if there would be any business done in the final days of the transfer window Van Gaal said, “You have to wait and see. It is not any pressure or me. We have 28 players. We did it last year without Pedro.”

See what fans made of the performance against Club Brugge.