Why Manchester United want to sell Valdes six months after buying him

Manchester United will sell goalkeeper Victor Valdes after the Spaniard refused to play in the reserves, manager Louis van Gaal said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Seattle during United's pre-season tour of the United States, van Gaal made clear 33-year-old Valdes is on his way out after only six months at the Premier League club.

"He doesn't follow our philosophy. There is no place for someone like that," said the Dutchman. "The philosophy is how you play football, and how you maintain your match rhythm.

"For example, he refused last (season) to play in the second team. That's also one aspect of our philosophy but there are a lot of other aspects in the philosophy of how you have to play like a goalkeeper in Manchester United.

"When you are not willing to follow the principles of the philosophy, then there is only one way and that is out," continued van Gaal.

Asked directly if he is selling the player, the manager replied: "Yes. For us it is a big disappointment because we thought he would follow our philosophy.

"When you are not playing in the first selection, then you must play in the second selection. Every player has to do that and he refused to do that."

Van Gaal had said in February, a month after Valdes joined United on an 18-month contract from Barcelona, that the Spaniard must earn his spurs with the reserves before he could be considered for a full first-team debut.

Valdes, who was a surprise omission from United's squad for the tour, failed to displace incumbent David de Gea, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and whose contract expires at the end of next season.

Di Maria's United future still uncertain

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has done little to dampen speculation that Argentine winger Angel Di Maria could leave the club, a year after moving to Old Trafford for a British record transfer fee.

British media have reported that Di Maria, who joined United for 59.7 million pounds ($93.35 million) last year, is a target for French club Paris Saint Germain and that his wife is unhappy living in the northwest of England.

Van Gaal, while keen to keep the 27-year-old, was unsure if he would stay.

"We shall see," the Dutchman told reporters in Seattle when asked whether he expected Di Maria to be with the club for the next English Premier League season.

"In football it's a process and I have said that many times. It's not clear in one day. It's a process for Di Maria, for United and we shall see.

"For now he's still a member of United and he has told me he shall come on 25 July."

Di Maria played for Argentina in the recently completed Copa America and was given permission to join the club's pre-season tour of North America later this month.

($1 = 0.6395 pounds)