Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal wants to give returning players a chance with the first team Getty

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants to give Adnan Januzaj a second chance after the Belgian had his loan deal with Borussia Dortmund cancelled midway through the season. The 20-year-old did not start a single Bundesliga game for the German club and was recalled to the United squad, who are trying to rebuild from scratch after tiding over an ostensibly difficult period.

The Red Devils had gone eight games without a win in all competitions, breaking that run with a 2-1 win over Swansea City at Old Trafford two days into the New Year. Their poor form has exerted immense pressure on Van Gaal to invest in the squad in January, but lack of attainable options has made it extremely difficult for the manager to move further with his interest.

United were heavily linked with a move for Southampton forward Sadio Mane, but manager Ronald Koeman has clearly fended off any interest from clubs in the Premier League, stating that the Senegalese player is going nowhere midway into the season. However, the return of Januzaj may alleviate the pressure on the United manager, with the youngster capable of slotting into the side in midfield or attack and do a job to help them secure a place in the top four.

Will Keane is another player who has been recalled from loan at Preston and given a stint with the first team, as Van Gaal looks at internal solutions in January to build his squad and end the season on a high.

"They are coming to us to ask for a second chance," Van Gaal told Sky Sports about the players returning from loan. "Manchester United is a club that takes care of all our players and I think it's a very good habit to have that.

"I believe in the talent of Adnan Januzaj. I said it would be very difficult to play matches in Dortmund and unfortunately I was right."

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