Ferguson retired from United in 2013 after 27 years in charge, during which time he won 13 league titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League trophies.
His hand-picked successor, David Moyes, lasted only 10 months before he was given the boot for a terribly below-par season.
Van Gaal was selected by the United board to replace Moyes, arriving in Manchester with a wealth of experience at top European clubs.
The brash Dutchman was a constant source of entertainment for English football fans and the media - even if his football wasn’t.
Van Gaal instilled an insipid, possession-based style of football at Old Trafford, but was one of the most charismatic, provocative managers the Premier League has seen.
He did, however, struggle with the club’s white-collars, many of whom have no wealth of prior football experience.
Ed Woodward, a former accountant and investment banker, is the executive vice-chairman at United while Matt Judge, who has a masters degree in economics and finance, negotiates fees and contracts.
Sir Alex Ferguson struggled with the commercial focus at Man Utd in his last days (Image: Getty)
Louis van Gaal was sacked by Man Utd two days after winning the 2016 FA Cup (Image: Getty)
I spoke to Ferguson about this and in his last years, he also had problems with it
Louis van Gaal
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The pair joined as Ferguson left alongside Woodward’s predecessor David Gill, with whom he had a strong relationship, and have focused on the club’s commercial value more than footballing relations.