Man Utd news: Robin van Persie was "not fit enough," says Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal said Robin van Persie was "not fit enough for the Premier League" in his last season at Manchester United.

Van Persie spearheaded United's attack in his last Premier League win, scoring 26 goals in a majestic 2012/13 campaign after a controversial Arsenal transfer of $ 24 million. of books.

The striker's magnificent hat-trick against Aston Villa, who sealed the United title, has since fallen into Old Trafford folklore.

In the following season under David Moyes, Van Persie scored 18 goals as the Red Devils finished seventh in the championship before their compatriot Van Gaal took over.

Van Persie was the favorite to be named captain for the 2014/15 season, but Van Gaal preferred Rooney and the Dutch star only scored ten goals in what would be his last season for the club.

Van Gaal, whose supposedly negative style of play was largely blamed on Van Persie's decline, tackled the striker's lack of form.

Asked about his reputation as defensive manager in England, Van Gaal told the BBC: "This is not true.

"You say it was boring." Why was it boring? It was perhaps boring, but it was because the opponent had parked the bus.

'Then you have to play at a faster tempo, which is difficult. Then you have to see what kind of players you have.

"Wayne Rooney should have been number 10 but Robin van Persie was not fit enough for the Premier League, which means Rooney was the best striker we had.

"But Manchester United needs the best striker in the world."

Van Gaal challenged Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's suggestions for bringing offensive football back to United and said the Norwegian was as defensive as Jose Mourinho.

"The coach after me [Mourinho] changed to the bus parking tactic and played on the counter. Now there is another bus that parks the bus and plays at the counter, "Van Gaal added.

"The main difference between Mourinho and Solskjaer is that Solskjaer wins.

"I'm not here, but there seems to be a change and the atmosphere seems to be better. It is also true that Solskjaer has changed Paul Pogba's position and placed him in an area where he is much more important.

But the way Manchester United are playing now is not the way Ferguson played. It's a defensive football and counter-attacker. If you like it, you like it. If you think it's more exciting than my boring attacks, OK. But this is not my truth.

Solskjaer just lost twice and he has to handle that. It is very important that Manchester United qualify for the Champions League, as was the case when I was manager.

"But they can also win the Champions League because they play a defensive system and it's very difficult to beat them, which, whether we like it or not, is the result of Mourinho's work."

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