Manchester United: Louis van Gaal insists club will always be able to lure new signings to Old Trafford

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal insists the club's youth policy will always attract players to the club. Van Gaal has handed 14 players their first-team debuts since taking over at Old Trafford, with 18-year-olds Marcus Rashford and Timothy Fosu-Mensah the latest to force themselves into the United first-team.

While often enforced by injuries to members of his first-team squad, the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has not shied away from looking to the club's youth ranks, recently admitting the emergence of Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Guillermo Varela convinced him not to sign another full-back during the January transfer window.

"I had two maiden speeches with them, two conversations, first with Ed [Woodward] and later with the owners," said van Gaal, United's official website reports. "They have said what the culture is of Manchester United and why they want me. One of the reasons was that. I used a lot of players also on the tour in America and on the tour last year. You need also the luck that youngsters are performing at that level."

United's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League are looking increasingly likely to rest on them winning the Europa League. While a failure to finish in the top four could had an adverse effect on their ability to lure established players to the club this summer, van Gaal insists the club will always attract exciting young talents, suggesting some are already prepared to join the club this summer.

"It's not always the case and, when you see how many players I give the chance to show themselves, at the end only two are three players are finishing as a player of Manchester United. But, when you have me as the manager, you have a lot of chances. Also, a lot of players, because of that, are coming next season to Manchester United because they see that [I give them a chance]."