UNITED WILL COME CLOSE: Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry has reportedly stated that Manchester United will be title contenders for the upcoming season.

Although he believed, that defending champions Chelsea are favourites to win the title again, the former Arsenal striker expects a closer title race finish this time around.

When asked about his thoughts on Manchester United, Henry said: “It was a transition year from a transition year with David Moyes, but now they are going to want the title again. This is United, they are not going to accept finishing second or third, or fourth, and everybody knows that. That is the way the club is.

“Having said that, it is going to be another year of people getting used to what Louis van Gaal wants. It took a little while for the players to understand what he wants, his tactics, and it worked. And then they had a little problem again at the end of the season, in all fairness.

“Van Gaal is an amazing tactician. I am sure he is going to come up with something we have not seen before, and surprise teams.

“Is Angel Di Maria going to stay? Is he going to have the type of impact people were expecting him to have? We never thought, let’s be honest, that Ashley Young was going to have the type of season he did. No one thought Marouane Fellaini was going to have the sort of season he did. It looks like Chris Smalling is becoming the type of defender they were looking for.

“I expect United to be close next year to the title, very close to it.”

United have already signed the likes of Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Matteo Darmian, and manager Louis van Gaal stated that he will be looking to sign two more players.

United kick-start their pre-season this Saturday against Club America at 8:30 A.M. IST.

Edited by Aashna Bakshi