Louis van Gaal Will Make Manchester United Like Barcelona, Says Edgar Davids

Manchester United are on the verge of appointing Dutch coach Louis van Gaal as their new manager, with former Netherlands midfield legend Edgar Davids advocating the move.

Phil Cadden of the Daily Star writes that the former Ajax, Barcelona and Juventus star believes Van Gaal will revamp the disposed English champions after their 12-month horror show under David Moyes.

Cadden quotes Davids saying:

"United should take him. I worked with him a long time ago, but he's a top manager. He goes into a club and he puts in the structure. He did it by putting in a foundation of young players at Barcelona and Bayern Munich and look at the results."

Davids was a part of Van Gaal's dominant Ajax team in the 1990s that won three Dutch league titles, the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. 

And with United's chief executive, Ed Woodward, due to announce on Thursday how he will revive the club, to the New York Stock Exchange, per Ian Herbert of The Independent, there is every chance Van Gaal's appointment will be announced before or during this. 

The Guardian's Manchester football correspondent, Jamie Jackson, also tweeted about his belief that Van Gaal would be installed very soon, ending United fans' wait for a new boss:

Van Gaal's extensive knowledge of European football will hugely benefit United, who suffered tactical and technical torment under Moyes.

His experience in managing huge clubs, like Barcelona and Bayern Munich, will aid the recovery process for the fallen north-west giants and give the club a philosophical blueprint for the long-term future of the team.

Despite his somewhat prickly reputation, Van Gaal's ex-players always come out in the media in full support of their former manager, and Davids is no different.

Christof Stache/Associated Press

The Dutch coach has a knack for inspiring loyalty in his playing staff as they fully buy into his tactical mantra. 

United need a man like Van Gaal at the helm—a man who is strong and decisive, and one who understands that at the very top end of the game only victory is acceptable.

The Glazer family now need to give the new coach the backing he needs, which they did not afford Moyes.

Van Gaal's CV should give the United owners the confidence they need to spend big, while the coach develops the club's existing talent base.

With the likes of Adnan Januzaj and James Wilson in the squad, Van Gaal will have the youth stock he loves to work with, which will give the experienced coach the foundation he needs to create a dangerous, new-look Manchester United side.