Van Gaal questions United’s commercial size

New Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has suggested that ‘Maybe it is too big a club – not only in a sporting sense, but also commercially.  We have to do a lot of things that, normally, I don’t allow.’

New Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has suggested that ‘Maybe it is too big a club – not only in a sporting sense, but also commercially.  We have to do a lot of things that, normally, I don’t allow.’

Van Gaal is worried about the gruelling nature of United’s pre-season tour in the United States.  There is no doubt that it is a commercial success.  They strolled to a 7-0 win over Los Angeles Galaxy in front of a crowd of 86,000.   A total of 110,000 tickets sold out in two hours for their game against Real Madrid on Saturday week.   This will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the home of their new shirt sponsor, Chevrolet.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward pointed out that United had more fans in the US than in the UK.  A survey last year identified more than 71 million followers in the Americas.   He said, ‘This is a very good country for us from a potential sponsorship perspective, a potential media perspective.   America and Asia are the two core places we tend to go to and both of them deliver a huge amount.’

Woodward did say that he would be prepared to discuss with Van Gaal where United travel next summer. That of itself says something about the balance of power within the club.