Van Gaal: I warned Januzaj about Dortmund move

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he was always concerned that playmaker Adnan Januzaj would not get enough regular match action at Borussia Dortmund.

The 20-year-old joined Thomas Tuchel’s men on loan at the beginning of the season, but is still waiting to make his first Bundesliga start, having only been named in two starting line-ups in the Europa League.

Van Gaal fears he has been proven right following his initial concerns about the move and feels a switch to a Premier League side would have given Januzaj more of the game time he needs to develop.

“At a club like Borussia Dortmund, all the players are also of a certain level,” said the Dutchman.

“I said in advance that is a big risk, because you have to compete with other players of a higher level and that is not so easy.

“It is the same as at Manchester United. He has to compete with higher-level players. I want him to play all the matches and that is why I wanted to play him in the Premier League, but he chose Borussia Dortmund.

“We have to wait and see [if the move works out] because now he doesn’t play. I am certain he has the talent to play, but he has to learn a lot of things.

“Talent is important, but so is the character to develop your talent. And he can learn that.”

Januzaj came off the substitutes’ bench to create a goal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during Dortmund’s 3-1 loss at Hamburg on Friday.