Manchester United have been boosted in their attempts to sign Ron Vlaar after the defender's agent revealed that he will most likely be leaving Aston Villa when his contract expires at the end of this season.
The Red Devils have been heavily-linked with a January move for the 29-year-old, with Dutch boss van Gaal keen to get his signature after seeing him do well with Holland in the 2014 World Cup.
Although earlier reports indicated that Vlaar was looking to extend his stay at Villa Park, his agent Arnold Oosterveer has confirmed that the defender will be looking to move to a bigger club when his contract expires this summer.
"It is obvious that for Ron, now is the moment to make a nice big move in his career. Ron is very ambitious," Oosterveer told the Daily Mirror.
"The situation is ideal for Ron right now. You can imagine that we are not in a hurry. I don't want to react to the rumour that he will move to either Arsenal or Man United, but Ron is very ambitious."
The addition of Vlaar would certainly be beneficial for United as the defender is well-versed with van Gaal's style of play and philosophy, having played under him in the Dutch national team.
Arsenal, who had a bid for Vlaar rejected on the transfer deadline day this summer, are also being linked with a January move for the Dutchman even though a move seems unlikey due to the defender having strong connections with van Gaal.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Kevin Strootman after the Dutchman's agent Fabio Parisi confirmed that he will not be moving to Old Trafford in January.
There were speculations of the 24-year-old, who has just recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines following a cruciate knee ligament, wanting to reunite with van Gaal in January.
But Parisi rubbished all the rumours, insisting that his client is just focusing on regaining full fitness.
"The recovery of Kevin is good for him and for the team because they have got a great player back," said Parisi, according to the Express. "Now, Kevin just has to stay focussed to gain confidence and get more game time."
"The future at Manchester United? Forget the rumours. We are just hoping he gets back to 100 per cent fitness."
