Lyon ace Memphis Depay has revealed how former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal scoffed at his decision to do extra training.

Depay has revealed how he sought help from Ryan Giggs, then Van Gaal's No2, to save his United career.

"After I lost my spot in the starting line-up, I asked assistant coach Ryan Giggs to do extra training with me," Memphis said in his new book Heart of a Lion.

"To work on my crosses with my left foot, to become a better winger. After a while Van Gaal asked me to come to his office. He said that there was nothing wrong with my left foot and that the extra training with Giggs was nonsense. It's all in your head, he also told me. That struck me. I mean, what could be wrong with trying to become a better player, with the help of a former top-winger like Ryan Giggs? More and more I got the feeling I could do nothing good according to Van Gaal.

"Later Van Gaal came to me and told me I had to talk with a mental coach he personally knew. My answer was that I wanted to think about that. I was still confident that I would succeed at United, as soon as I was adapted to the higher level of football and to my new life in England.

"Later on Van Gaal kept on saying that I needed to talk to that mental coach. It would benefit my focus and concentration level, he said. But I didn't feel like talking to a stranger, also because I had my own mental coach since I was twelve already."