Van Gaal denies expressing interest in Pedro

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has denied ever expressing an interest in new Chelsea signing Pedro, blaming the media for taking his comments out of context.

United were thought to have been leading the race to sign the former Barcelona forward, but a move to Old Trafford failed to materialise and Chelsea swooped.

Reports suggested United pulled out of a deal to sign the 28-year-old, but at his press conference on Friday Van Gaal suggested they were never in the running.

"I have the responsibility of protecting the interest of the club and I cannot say too much," he said. "When I said Pedro fitted the profile I could not lie. I said yes.

"You [the media] said I was interested. You put my comments into another context. I never said he was coming.

"No one wants to listen."

The Dutchman also hit out at what he perceived as attempts to damage the relationship between himself and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

He added: "No one should doubt Ed Woodward. I have the idea you want to separate Ed Woodward from me. Never. Never. Every day I'm updated by him and I trust him."