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Louis van Gaal Close to Destroying Core of Manchester United, Says Martin Keown

Gianni Verschueren@ReverschPassX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistSeptember 3, 2015

Coach Louis van Gaal of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League play-offs match between Club Brugge and Manchester United on August 26, 2015 at the Jan Breydel stadium in Brugge, Belgium.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
VI-Images/Getty Images

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is facing criticism after the events that transpired in the final days of the summer transfer window.

According to former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, the Dutchman's decision to get rid of a number of academy graduates means he's getting close to “ripping out the core of the club.”

Writing for the Daily Mail, Keown called the David De Gea saga “farcical,” questioned the signing of Anthony Martial and doubted Van Gaal's man-management skills. Discussing the latter, he wrote:

We do not see what happens in the dressing room but it is a concern when former players queue up to criticise Van Gaal’s ruthless treatment. Once a relationship is broken, there seems to be no going back.

Players will have much more respect for a manager who is consistent and takes time to explain decisions.

[...]

What will hurt the fans is the loss of academy graduates who have United blood in their veins. There are only eight left from United’s 2013 title-winning squad and with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley and Jonny Evans gone, there is a feeling that United are losing part of their identity.

Big names come and go but Van Gaal is in danger of ripping out the core of the club. The same goes with their playing style. Everything looks controlled and safe but they do not attack like the old United. 

United's summer transfer window got off to a promising start, with the signings of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay receiving almost universal acclaim. And while most fans were unfamiliar with right-back Matteo Darmian when he was introduced, the Italy international has perhaps looked the most impressive of the new arrivals so far.

Those signings almost seem like distant memories, however, and the final days of the window have left a sour taste in the mouths of fans.

There was the ridiculous saga surrounding De Gea, who was set to move to Real Madrid before the deal fell through at the last moment, as vital paperwork was sent to the authorities past the deadline.

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 02:  David de Gea looks on during the Spain training session at Ciudad de Futbol on September 2, 2015 in Las Rozas, Spain.  (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Then came the signing of Martial, a talented young forward who is yet to make a single appearance for the French national team and scored just nine goals in Ligue 1 last season, per WhoScored.com.

While most pundits agreed the teenager was a great prospect well worth signing, the actual fee the Mancunians could end up paying raised more than a few eyebrows, via James Ducker of the Times:

James Ducker @TelegraphDucker

Projected £58.8m fee would make Martial 2nd most expensive player in British history and obviously more than £54.84m City paid for De Bruyne

Amid all of that, the agent of Sam Johnstone also took a shot at the manager, claiming he's holding back young, English talent, via the Daily Mail's Sam Cunningham.

Clearly, it's been a rough couple of days for Van Gaal, and with pundits now taking aim to criticise how everything went down, it may not be over yet. The Guardian's Daniel Harris suggests he should at least try and work on his people skills:

Daniel Harris @DanielHarris

Van Gaal isn't the charisma void that Moyes was, but lacks Fergie's genius for making every player feel important. He could try, though.

With the international break in full swing, things should settle down in the next couple of days, giving the club the chance to start over and focus on the task at hand―winning silverware.

Van Gaal's squad got off to a promising start before the 2-1 loss against Swansea City, but a big win over rivals Liverpool should help turn the mood around in a hurry. The Dutchman didn't move to Old Trafford to make friends―his job is to return the club to elite status, and so far, he appears to be on the right track.

The signings of Martial and Depay show Van Gaal has a long-term future in mind for the club as well, and the likes of Andreas Pereira and James Wilson should see enough playing time to continue their development this season.

As for academy graduates leaving the club, neither Tom Cleverley nor Jonny Evans were ever going to play a big role this season. In the case of the latter, fans like football writer Liam were actually happy he got the chance to move to a club where he would play regularly:

Liam Canning @LiamPaulCanning

Delighted for Jonny Evans to get his move to West Brom. £8m rumoured fee. Big up £0 net spend. http://t.co/n2fqZiRF7K

There are plenty of positive signs heading into the season, with the defence looking much improved compared to last year and the duo of Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin giving the squad the kind of balance it so desperately needed.

Sure, questions remain, as the squad doesn't have great depth at several key positions, and there's no denying the transfer window came to an ugly end. But if the Mancunians beat Liverpool next Sunday and the results continue to be positive, all the criticism Van Gaal is facing will quickly quiet down to a whisper.