Louis van Gaal performs retirement U-turn and insists Manchester United may not have been his last job

He said he was offered the Valencia job five weeks ago

Van Gaal is just taking a season-long sabbatical (Getty)

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has done a retirement U-turn and insisted he is only taking a “sabbatical year”, less than 24 hours than seemingly confirming his career was over.

The Dutchman, who was sacked by United in May, two days after winning the FA Cup, had been quoted in the Dutch media stating that he intended to retire from coaching due to family reasons.

He was quoted as saying in De Telegraaf: “I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical but now I do not think I will return to coaching.”

Van Gaal revealed he was offered the Valencia manager’s job five weeks ago but said no, thus was his commitment to spending time with his family.

However, the former Ajax and Barcelona boss clarified his statement on Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Tuesday night.

“No, no no. I have not retired,” Van Gaal told the radio station. “I am just taking a sabbatical year and after that I will decide.

"Whether I continue or not will also depend on the offers I get.

"I've coached many clubs and I think it's very difficult to improve on that level of clubs.

"It's not true that I've retired, not at this moment, but I'll decide at the end of my sabbatical, next June or July."


 Louis van Gaal was sacked as United boss in May 

“I could return (to Spain). Valencia offered me the manager's job around a month ago, or five weeks. I said no.”

It is also understood that Van Gaal has fended off offers from China, including one which would have stood to earn him £44m over three seasons.

He was also ruled out of the Belgium national job after reportedly being deemed “exhausting” by the Belgian federation.

He guided United to a fourth and a fifth-place finish during his two seasons at Old Trafford but failure to get into the Champions League ultimately cost him his job, and he was replaced by Jose Mourinho.