David Moyes Replacement Rumors: Manchester United Execs Eye Netherlands Boss Louis van Gaal As Next Coach

Now that David Moyes has been relieved of his duties at Old Trafford, Manchester United higher-ups have begun the task of looking for the next leader of the English giants. The Red Devils currently find themselves seventh in the Barclays Premier League with only four contests remaining this season and due to continued struggles in the twenty-team field coupled with a quarterfinal round exit in the UEFA Champions League, team officials felt it necessary to remove the former Everton boss from the sidelines in order to give themselves added time to find a suitable replacement.

With the search for the next coach who they hope will be able to return the club back to the top of the BPL table underway, coaching names such as Juventus boss Antonio Conte, current Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp and even former coach Sir Alex Ferguson -- who handpicked David Moyes to be his successor last summer -- have been linked to Old Trafford in some capacity over the past few months, even as Moyes held his post with United. While these individuals have all found extreme success over the course of their careers, ESPN FC reports that current Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal appears to be the frontrunner for the open post.

Van Gaal -- who will step away from his post at Netherlands boss following the upcoming World Cup in Brazil -- has been heavily linked to Tottenham Hotspur since February but that situation has not developed the way many thought it would. Though the 62-year-old coach could still find his way to White Hart Lane, it appears that Manchester United is placing him as their primary target, ahead of the aforementioned group consisting of Klopp, Simeone and Conte. Previously serving as head coach to international powers Barcelona and Bayern Munich, van Gaal sits as a strong candidate with Man U higher-ups due to his knowledge of top-level football.

Current player-manager Ryan Giggs is set to step in on an interim basis and while he sits as a possible option moving forward, Old Trafford execs could be looking for a seasoned coach capable of leading the team through a crucial summer transfer window. Set to spend nearly £200 million during the upcoming player transfer period, United can’t afford to take another step back following one of the most disappointing seasons in club history.

The hiring of a coach like Louis van Gaal however, would be a strong step toward righting the wrongs of the 2013-2014 campaign.