No one wanted Sergio Romero but Manchester United, goalkeeper reveals

He played in the World Cup final last year and the Copa America final this year - and yet no one other than Manchester United wanted to sign goalkeeper Sergio Romero this summer.

His exploits on the international stage has not made the 28-year-old Argentine an attractive option in goal for many European clubs. Romero appeared just 13 times for his clubs Monaco and Sampdoria over the past couple of seasons.

Then in the summer, after a disappointing shootout loss to Chile in the Copa America final, Romero's old boss Louis van Gaal gave him a fresh start: the starting position at United.

"I owe Van Gaal so much," Romero told the Sunday Mirror. "I find it incredible that I am now at this club after the year that I have had. I wasn't wanted anywhere else, but I am coming toward the strongest and best part of my football life."

Romero has started and kept clean sheets in both matches so far with the Red Devils. The club's current standoff with David De Gea has allowed Romero to claim the goalkeeping position for himself.

But Romero is just thankful to get another opportunity under Van Gaal. The two worked together back at AZ Alkmaar from 2007-09. It was there that they created a bond, with Van Gaal breaking his own rule of speaking only Dutch in the dressing room.

"He helped me by speaking to me in Spanish every day, talking in a very quiet voice so that the other players could not hear him and know that he had broken his own rule," Romero said. "That was a warm, human touch."

Later, in a weird twist of fate, it was Romero who saved two penalties to knock Van Gaal's Holland out of the 2014 World Cup on penalties.

"I taught Romero how to stop penalties, so that hurts,” Van Gaal told reporters last summer. “We were the club to bring him to Europe. He was a big talent, and someone who has the qualities to do that."

Now Romero has the chance to pay back his mentor.