Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal declared he "can walk away" from football but conceded he is nine years overdue on a previous promise to retire.

Van Gaal, who has two years left on a three-year contract with United, has made it clear since arriving at Old Trafford that he wants to win the Premier League before the end of his deal so he can retire having been crowned champion in Netherlands, Spain, Germany and England.

When asked if he will be able to leave United at the end of the 2016-17 season if he has failed to lift the Premier League trophy Van Gaal said: "Yes, I can do that."

But when the possibility of a contract extension was brought up, the former Netherlands coach was less decisive.

 "You never know, you can never say 'I go'," he said.

"I have already said to my wife it might be that we extend in Manchester. But normally I have said to my wife that at 55 years I quit. And I'm still in the business and in two weeks' time I will be 64!"

Van Gaal added that if he does not win the league in the next two seasons "then Manchester United shall fire me".