Much has been made of Louis Van Gaal's personality, disciplinarian streak and the players he will sign this summer.

But one the Dutchman's greatest talents has been giving a break to players that go on to attain world class status.

Of course at Ajax, he earned European club football's greatest prize with a youthful, homegrown side including the likes of Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Michael Reiziger and Edwin Van Der Sar.

But since the Bosman Rule broke up that side and Van Gaal moved on, he has continued to give opportunities to the most talented youngsters.

With Man United being a club which has traditionally put its trust in youth, they will hope that Van Gaal can work that magic again with the club's homegrown talent.

Barcelona

Van Gaal had two spells at Barcelona with the first by far the most successful, yielding two La Liga titles.

But arguably his greatest legacy was the way in which he gave future Barca legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta their first chances for the Catalan club.

He gave Xavi his debut in 1998. The midfielder had been a regular for Barcelona's reserve side but Van Gaal promoted the youngster into the first team in the 1998-99 with the tiki taka exponent ending the season with a creditable 26 first team appearances in all competitions, kickstarting a long and successful career at the Camp Nou.

His midfield partner-in-crime Andres Iniesta was promoted into the senior squad in the summer of 2002, while Van Gaal drafted Carles Puyol into the first team in 1999, paving the way for him to become the club's inspirational leader.

Bayern Munich

Van Gaal did not give Bastian Schweinsteiger his debut, but he is the man who took him to the next level. Formerly a wide player, Van Gaal recognised that the German international had the potential to play in a deep-lying central role, so much so that it is hard to imagine that he once played on the wing.

Germany international Thomas Muller was also given his chance in the 2009/10 season, establishing himself under Van Gaal as Bayern swept to the Champions League final.

Indeed, Eamon Dunphy did not see what Van Gaal could see, once describing Muller as "rubbish" before the then-youngster finished that summer's World Cup with the Golden Boot!

The likes of Austrian left-back David Alaba also had their first opportunities at Bayern under Van Gaal's watchful eye.