The target was simple for Louis van Gaal — a top four finish and the return of Champions League football at Old Trafford.

Manchester United had spent a season out of football’s elite club competition following a torrid 10 months during the 2013/14 season with David Moyes at the helm, culminating in a seventh-place finish under interim manager Ryan Giggs.

United acted swiftly to appoint an experienced manager with Van Gaal signing a three-year contract which started at the end of his World Cup campaign with Holland.

In his first press conference the Dutchman promised to guide his team into a Champions League qualifying place.

But despite spending an estimated £150 million on Angel Di Maria, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao, who joined on loan from Monaco, it was far from a perfect start for the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager.

The Reds managed just three wins from their first 10 Premier League games, including an opening day home defeat to Swansea and a 1-0 loss away at local rivals Manchester City.

There was also the dramatic 5-3 defeat away at newly promoted Leicester City and the 4-0 drubbing by League One’s MK Dons in the League Cup.

It was United’s worst start to the season since 1986–87 under Ron Atkinson.

But despite concerns by some supporters, Van Gaal stood by his “philosophy” and following a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace his side went on a six game winning run that took them to third place in the league.

For a short period fans started to believe that their side could mount a serious title challenge.

But a string of draws over the festive period, and a home defeat to Southampton — the first time the Saints had won at Old Trafford in 27 years, saw that hope fade away.

And an FA Cup sixth-round defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford in March ended any chance of Van Gaal lifting a trophy in his first season in-charge.

But it was mission accomplished following comfortable victories against Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City that helped United secure a fourth place finish, three places and six points higher than the previous season.

However, the period of transition since the departure of Alex Ferguson is over and Van Gaal will be under pressure to deliver silverware to the already bulging Old Trafford trophy cabinets.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes United can challenge on all four fronts next season as the club embarks on another recruitment drive over the summer.

The club have acted early in the transfer market with the signing of midfielder Memphis Depay for £25m from PSV Eindhoven but Van Gaal will need to add quality to a number of other positions if United are going to once again be genuine title contenders.