The Louis van Gaal effect; potential Manchester United XI come August

He may struggle for the national team, but Wayne Rooney is one of the greats in Manchester United history – working under Louis van Gaal could make him even scarier. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Wayne Rooney (ST/CAM)

He really doesn’t need much of an introduction or an explanation – 158 Premier League goes and 212 in all competitions for Manchester United is really all you need to know.  Under David Moyes, who was his boss at Everton before his big move to United, Rooney had an up and down season.  Sure he scored 17 goals domestically, but he struggled quite a bit in Champions League, and his goals came in bunches rather than over a consistent period.

With England’s disappointing World Cup campaign fresh in the back of his mind, maybe a fresh beginning at club level is what Rooney needs.  LvG will play attacking football, and there is no question that Rooney will be a massive part of that.  But the most important aspect, is the fact that he will likely be used as a striker once more, rather than being deployed being the front man or on the wing.  Yes Rooney always worked hard for United and was a creative outlet for them, but when he is at his best, there are few if any better finishers in the league.