Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is having Valencia scouted.
The People says Van Gaal has sent his top scouting spy on a 3,700-mile journey to check out Valencia - ahead of Manchester United's upcoming friendly with the Spanish side.
The decision to send opposition scout and analyst Marcel Bout from United's USA training camp in Washington DC to spy on Valencia staggered senior club figures.
A United source said: "The manager's attention to detail is absolutely incredible. He wanted to know all about how Valencia set up even though it's just a friendly, so he sent Marcel Bout all the way from America back to London.
"His professionalism is astonishing and his influence is already rubbing off on everyone."
