Van Gaal Looking For January Signings

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is looking for new players but feels it will be difficult to make any signings in the January transfer window.

The boss is currently coping with a spate of injuries in his squad but made it clear there are no guarantees he will be able to remedy that by bringing in fresh faces next month.

Wayne Rooney and Marcos Rojo have joined Ander Herrera, Phil Jones and long-term absentees Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia on the sidelines, as the Reds prepare for the first of seven games in 28 days, at home to West Ham United on Saturday.

Asked by reporters at his pre-match press conference whether he would be active in the January window, van Gaal replied: “The problem is that our injuries are always contact injuries and you cannot afford that because football is a sport of direct resistance.

“Shaw is direct injured, Rojo and Wayne also. We have a lot of long-lasting contact injuries, which is our problem.

“We are looking, but as you know it is not so easy to buy players and in January it is more difficult. We are looking but it is not for sure.”