Louis van Gaal needs to lead Manchester United to Champions League qualification to secure fresh funding for a big spending summer market.

The Daily Mail says United spent close to £150million on the likes of Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria last summer - deals that have not gone as well as expected.

Nevertheless, as long as United qualify for next season's Champions League, the Old Trafford money-men will sanction another £100m-plus transfer splurge to help turn the club into realistic title contenders again.

And Van Gaal will continue to focus his attentions on high-profile deals, rather than unproven potential, despite having his fingers burned by Falcao and Di Maria.