Louis van Gaal says success with Manchester United youngsters will keep him in a job

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has once again hit back at suggestions he could lose his job at the end of the campaign. The Dutch boss suggested that his success with the development of young players like Marcus Rashford can help him stay amid recent reports claiming the club are having second thoughts on the appointment of Jose Mourinho due to his poor record of nurturing new talents.

The former Chelsea manager has been widely tipped to replace van Gaal at Old Trafford almost since he was sacked by the Blues earlier in December. However, recent reports have suggested that the club may stick with the Dutchman for one more season before giving the job in the long-term to Ryan Giggs.

The Sunday Mirror reported last month that Mourinho himself has conceded that he will not get the United job at the end of the campaign, pointing out his "failure to nurture young players" during his time at Stamford Bridge as "the main reason" behind the Mancunians officials decision.

Daily Mail later reported that some of the United youngsters would rather to see Giggs taking over "grandpa" van Gaal ahead of next season, while citing a quote claiming they don't believe that Mourinho would be the solution, as the "they don't believe they will get a chance if he comes in."

Asked ahead of the Premier League game with Aston Villa about the situation, van Gaal said as quoted by Manchester Evening News: "I don't discuss that with you. You can ask every time about what is happening with me but I don't discuss it with the media. The media is writing it. I am not discussing it. I read only my position in the media not the position of other managers. I don't agree with that. It is not my problem."

Nevertheless, the manager suggests that the recent success of the likes of Marcus Rashford and Timothy Fosu-Mensah can help him to keep his job one more season – and keep Mourinho away from Old Trafford.

"That is our policy. Manchester United believe in youngsters and Louis van Gaal also believes in youngsters. That was one of the arguments why they have selected me," the boss said. "It is not new for me that this is happening but I am very happy that we have the ability to pick youngster from our academy."