The Dutch football association KNVB has not given up hope of persuading Louis van Gaal to return to Oranje if he leaves Manchester United at the end of the season, the British Telegraph says on Thursday.

The Dutchman’s future with the English club may depend on them qualifying for next season’s Champion’s League, and if his contract is cut short, the paper says there could be an opening for him as technical director of Oranje’s new ‘centre of excellence’. Work on the complex is due to be completed this summer.

Van Gaal took Oranje to third place at the World Cup in Brazil but since then the squad’s fortunes have plummeted and they failed to qualify for this summer’s European Championship in France.

The Independent said the possibility of Van Gaal taking up a technical director’s position is made more likely by his friendship with the current national team manager, Danny Blind, who was his assistant in Brazil.

In addition, Blind’s son Daley, signed by Van Gaal at United, was impressive as captain when the Dutch beat England 2-1 at Wembley on Tuesday night, the paper says.

Van Gaal has twice been coach of the Dutch national team.