Jose Mourinho hands vote of confidence to one of Louis van Gaal's flops
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho answers questions from the media at a press conference following a first team training session at Aon Training Complex on August 12, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho has vowed to hand one of Louis van Gaal’s high profile flops a chance to make his mark at Manchester United this season, after he backed Memphis Depay to win over his doubters and emerge as a Premier League star.
Dutch international Depay failed to make his mark at United after his big-money move from PSV Eindhoven last summer, sparking suggestions he could be one of the first names taken off the wage bill as Mourinho reshapes the squad he has inherited at Old Trafford.
Yet it seems that Depay will be handed a chance to make his mark under Mourinho’s watch, as he offered up these words of encouragement ahead of United’s first game of the season at Bournemouth on Sunday.
“I want him to be part of my squad,” he said of Depay. “Last season was last season and I don’t want to go into that too much, but I know the players that I’ve watched.
“At the World Cup he was a very young kid and that was two years ago. I know the player and I watched him many times at PSV and having that player in mind, I want to keep him.
“I want to try everything and the way he is working is so good that for sure, we all believe that is possible.
“In September we have League Cup, Europa League and Premier League so that month will be the end of the frustration for these players that are not selected in these first two or three matches.
“September will be the moment when everyone is playing and life changes for them, but I believe in him, yes. Especially as I see a good boy, a good kid, a good professional. I don’t care what people think.
“You can see him driving a nice car and you think this guy is not thinking about football but that is not the case.
“The kid thinks about football, he suffers because he is frustrated with what happened last season where he lost all his confidence, but he will be back.”
Mourinho also stressed he would find space for the youthful talents of Marcus Rashford, despite fears he may sideline the 18-year-old striker in favour of more experienced attacking options.
“I like him a lot, he is very good,” Mourinho added of Rashford, before he suggested the England striker is still very much a work in progress.
“Of course he is a young boy and has a lot to learn. At his age he can have ups and downs and you have to be ready to support him if that is the case.
“Potentially he is a very good player with very good potential. He knows how to be a professional. The way he works, the way he lives. It is very good.”
