by Our Sports Desk

LOUIS VAN GAAL refused to comment on Danny Welbeck’s future yesterday as speculation mounts that the England striker is set to leave Manchester United.

Welbeck, who joined United in 2007, has reportedly been told he can depart Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old started the majority of the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, but he is unlikely to jump ahead of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in the pecking order.

In a heated press conference at the club’s training ground, Van Gaal refused to confirm or deny the story, but the new United manager admitted he was angry that details of a private conversation he held with Welbeck had been leaked.

He said: “The media were not in the room and I do not speak about that because that’s private.

“I know what I said to Danny and Danny knows exactly what I said to him.”

The decision to allow Welbeck, a local boy who worked his way through the ranks at Old Trafford, to go will come as a surprise to some United fans, particularly as Van Gaal does not have a strong selection of strikers to choose from.

For the first time since taking over as manager, Van Gaal cut an angry figure as he addressed the media.

The former Ajax manager, who lost his first Premier League game to Swansea last week, has been bemused by some of the criticism he has received for a lack of transfer activity.

“Two weeks ago I was the king of Manchester and now I am the devil of Manchester,” Van Gaal said.