Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to retire in 2017: 'I promised that to my wife'

Manchester United gaffer Louis van Gaal has vowed to quit managing in 2017 to fulfill an agreement he has with his wife.

The 63-year-old van Gaal, who joined United at the start of the 2014-15 Premier League season following a World Cup semifinal appearance with the Dutch national side, spoke to reporters about his future.

"I will give it up (in 2017). I promised that to my wife. We have not many years together any more. That is the reason."

Van Gaal continued: "I have to admit I have said to her, when I met her and after our relationship seemed to be very good, that at 55 I shall quit. I am still working and next week I am 64."

The Dutchman has won nearly everything there is to win, having claimed league titles with Barcelona, Ajax, Bayern Munich, and AZ Alkmaar, the Champions League in 1995 with Ajax and a formidable third-place finish in last summer's World Cup finals in Brazil.

"I have done everything in my career as a manager," van Gaal added. "I have been in the Netherlands, my home country, in Spain, which is a fantastic league, and Germany is also a fantastic league.

"I participated in the World Cup. The only wish was the Premier League. Now I am here."

Should van Gaal manage to win the Premier League title with United, he will retire as one of the era's most celebrated managers and be put out to pasture content with his accomplishments.

Even if he doesn't retire with a Premier League medal, van Gaal can look forward to life after soccer.

That lawn isn't going to cut itself, Louis.