Louis van Gaal targets Angel Di Maria and Daley Blind for Manchester United

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Manchester United manager hints that he needs players to offer width
Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria is mentioned but will cost £55m
United also strongly linked with £15m-rated Ajax wing-back Daley Blind
Van Gaal will favour 3-5-2 formation at Old Trafford

Published: 04:46 EST, 10 August 2014 | Updated: 04:03 EST, 11 August 2014

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Louis van Gaal has hinted he would like to add Angel Di Maria and Daley Blind to his Manchester United squad ahead of the new campaign.

The Dutchman is looking for the perfect players to fit into the attack-minded 3-5-2 formation he intends to deploy in the Barclays Premier League this season.

And he suggested the Real Madrid winger and the Ajax wing-back could follow Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera in joining United before the end of the transfer window.

VIDEO Scroll down for 'United target Daley Blind scores a 30 yard beauty against Utrecht'

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Wanted man: Louis van Gaal has dropped a strong hint that Manchester United would like to sign Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria as he searches for the ideal wide players to fit into his trademark 3-5-2 formation

Dutch delight: Van Gaal is also keen to bring the Ajax wing-back Daley Blind to Old Trafford. The player is very familiar with Van Gaal's formation after playing under him for Holland at the World Cup (pictured)

Louis van Gaal: We must prove United are number one again

Shortlist: Van Gaal is likely to make more additions to his Manchester United squad before the end of the month

VIDEO Van Gaal wants reinforcements

In an exclusive interview with the Mail on Sunday, Van Gaal said: 'You cannot compare how the players will do under the guidance of Moyes with those same players under the guidance of Louis van Gaal.

'Every trainer and coach and manager wants a different style of play and different tactics.

'Now we have five No 9s and four No 10s and we don't have wingers to play attacking width, not at the highest level, of Ronaldo or Di Maria or something like that. So I have to play also in another way and you have seen that.

'It's a strategy of Manchester United to buy players who are on the way up and getting better, but I only buy when I think we need to.'

Di Maria has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time but United may have to part with as much as £55m to sign him.

Hot property: Di Maria, seen here playing against Manchester United in the Champions League in 2013, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time but could cost as much as £55m

Getting stuck in: Blind challenges Gareth Barry of Manchester City during a Champions League tie. He has won four league titles at Ajax as well as helping Holland to third place at the World Cup

Though Blind is not explicitly mentioned, Van Gaal knows all about his qualities from his time as Holland coach and the player is certainly 'on the way up and getting better.'

Van Gaal also said: 'If they are at the level I want them to be, then I will sign Dutch players.

'Dutch players are usually cheaper than players of other nationalities and they have usually been very well educated in the Netherlands, I believe.'

Blind has a price tag of around £15m but Van Gaal has been told money is no object as he rebuilds United after a traumatic season under David Moyes.

Different proposition: Van Gaal already seems to have got the best out of a squad that flopped under the leadership of David Moyes

Putting down a marker: Darren Fletcher and Wayne Rooney lift the International Champions Cup in Miami after beating old rivals Liverpool 3-1 in the final

His comments about Moyes suggest he will get more from the existing squad than his predecessor and this has been evident already in United's pre-season results.

They won all five matches on their tour of the United States, lifting the International Champions Cup by beating Liverpool 3-1 in the final.

Van Gaal has given every member of the squad a fair chance to show what they can do and most have responded with better performances than last season.

They will have a final chance to impress when United host Valencia on Tuesday night before they kick off the new campaign at home to Swansea on Saturday.