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Anderson blasts 'robot' Van Gaal's spell at Manchester United

Former Manchester United man Anderson has blasted Louis van Gaal, who he believes forced out several stars at Old Trafford. 

Anderson spent a total of eight years at the club after being signed from Porto by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007. 

The Brazilian, however, was frozen out under Van Gaal, and eventually returned to his native country in 2015 when Internacional swooped. 

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For the midfielder, the Dutchman's treatment of him upon returning from a loan spell at Fiorentina finally spelled the end. 

"I came back to United and [Louis] van Gaal arrived," he explained in an interview with ESPN.

"I respect Van Gaal, but football had changed and he was not successful anymore. He gave silly instructions for everything, even in training.

"He was like a robot. I decided to leave. I told Van Gaal that I wanted to leave. He said I could go."

Anderson also claims that stars like Angel Di Maria and Robin van Persie were forced to seek new clubs because of the manager's inflexible style.

"I was leaving a club, which wasn't the same. The spirit was going, players were leaving," he added.

"How did he let a player like Di Maria go so quickly? He's a sick player. Van Persie lost the love, too. Everyone started saying: We'll go.

"Van Gaal's philosophy was no longer working. It's hard in the Premier League to play robotic: pass, pass, pass."

The 29-year-old spent 2017 out on loan at Coritiba, and will return to Inter this year as the Porto Alegre club celebrate making an instant return to the top flight after an historic relegation in 2016.

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