Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata have become the latest Manchester United players to send messages of support and good will to former boss Louis van Gaal who revealed he was fighting cancer on Sunday.
The 70-year-old told Dutch TV show ‘Humberto’ that he has an aggressive form of the illness and has received treatment for it on 25 occasions over a prolonged period. After being invited onto the show to promote his new film ‘LOUIS’, in which it addresses his cancer battle, the Netherlands national team boss explained he had kept it from his players.
He said: "In each period during my time as manager of the national team, I had to leave in the night to go to the hospital without the players finding it out until now, while thinking I was healthy. But I am not.
READ MORE: Manchester United player David de Gea shows support for Louis van Gaal after cancer diagnosis
"I didn't want to tell it to my players because it could have influenced their performances. I have a lot of discipline and willpower.
"I can do the job because I like it. I like to work with this squad. This is a present for me at a late age, this is how I see it."
Upon learning of the news, Manchester United tweeted: "Sending you strength and courage, Louis." Van Gaal managed United between 2014 and 2016, being dismissed from his role days after lifting the FA Cup at Wembley.
David de Gea has sent his best wishes to his former boss and now Rashford and Mata have offered messages of support. Rashford was handed his senior debut by Van Gaal in February 2016, bursting onto the scene with two goals in a Europa League game against Midtjylland.
Writing on Twitter he said: “Earned my debut from LVG. Will forever be indebted. You can fight this. We are all behind you.”
Mata, who played his first full season at United under Van Gaal, posted on his Instagram story: “All the best Louis.”
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