Dutch manager Louis van Gaal enjoyed a relatively successful first season with Manchester United. After taking care of a depleted squad following the disastrous tenure of David Moyes, the experienced gaffer improved the side and allowed The Red Devils to return to the UEFA Champions League.
It isn't over, however, and the former Netherlands boss is keen to take his team to the next level after being rewarded with a £150M transfer budget that would allow him to build an entire new squad filled with players capable of reaching new heights.
In a revealing interview, van Gaal said he's keen to work on the challenge of building a new squad and he acknowledges that, even though the team has some valuable players, they still are a few players away from being a true Premier League title contender.
Looking towards the US annual tour
The Dutch manager will return to duty in July when Manchester United take on their annual US tour, a chance to gel the new signings with the team and also to see some of the young players that could be ready to take part in the first team regularly. United will face the likes of FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain - two teams that are currently a few steps above them - and van Gaal said that preparation is more important than actual results that early in the pre-season.
'It's a little boring because the results in pre-season are not so important,' he explained.
'Last year in the United States we won everything and we played against big, top clubs and then we have to play our first match against Swansea City and we lose - that cannot happen next year.'
Van Gaal also explained some of the changes that the US tour will have this year, including two base camps - Seattle and San Francisco - that would allow the players to "train twice a day and that is very important in pre season."
Manchester United have already signed Memphis Depay and they are said to have an agreement to land Hoffenheim's Roberto Firmino. Those two can become building blocks for a team that's looking to get younger - and better - as they look to improve in the 2015-16 season.