London: Louis van Gaal wants to become the next manager of Manchester United, the Dutchman said on Wednesday.
The Netherlands coach described United as the "biggest club in the world" and said he would "love the job".
"I hope that I shall be the one. It`s the biggest club in the world and it`s a fantastic challenge," he told the BBC from the Dutch squad`s pre-World Cup training camp.
But he said nothing had been agreed about him taking over at Old Trafford.
"You (the media) are thinking I`m the man but the most important thing is whether Manchester United are thinking that," he said.
The 62-year-old has been the favourite to take over at United since David Moyes was sacked last month after 10 months in charge.
British media have reported that Van Gaal`s appointment could be confirmed next week but he could not begin work at United until after the World Cup and he said the speculation would not affect the Dutch team`s campaign in Brazil.
"I have to focus on my job," he said.
"I am coach of the Dutch national team. I have waited a long time to be in a World Cup, so that`s very important.
"This doesn`t affect me. I have always had offers. I know what the football world is and what it means."
Van Gaal has won domestic titles in the Netherlands with Ajax Amsterdam and AZ Alkmaar, in Spain with Barcelona and in Germany with Bayern Munich. He also led Ajax to the European Cup in 1995.
United, seventh in the Premier League table, have endured a disappointing season, their first of the post-Alex Ferguson era.
Moyes lasted 34 league games before being replaced on an interim basis by Ryan Giggs who has led them to two wins and one defeat in his three games in charge.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.