MANCHESTER, AP:

Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal, was forced to personally intervene to clinch the signing of Memphis Depay ahead of schedule, to prevent the Netherlands winger from joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Van Gaal said yesterday he didn't want to sign Depay until the end of the season, fearing it would disturb his players' focus for their remaining Premier League games, as United look to secure a Champions League qualification spot.

However, the deal was pushed through sooner than planned to ward off competition for the player from PSG, the big-spending French champions.

"Because of the market, I have to handle ... I must handle, (the transfer) because otherwise, he had signed for Paris Saint-Germain," Van Gaal said.

United announced on Thursday that the club has reached a deal to sign Depay from PSG Eindhoven, with the move set to go through once the transfer window opens in June.

Van Gaal knows Depay well from his time as Netherlands coach and suggested the player's motivation for moving to United was their relationship.

Depay is this season's top scorer in the Dutch league with 21 goals.

United are fourth in the Premier League and occupying the final Champions League berth, four points clear of Liverpool with three matches left.

United will be without one of its most important players for the run-in after holding midfielder Michael Carrick was ruled out of the rest of the season because of a calf injury.

The England international was injured in the 4-2 win over Manchester City on April 12 - and United has lost their three games since, without scoring a goal.