Paris, July 17 (IANS): French football great Thierry Henry has hailed Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal as an amazing tactician who is capable of coming up with plans which can surprise teams, adding he expects United to challenge for the English Premier League (EPL) title in the forthcoming season.

"Van Gaal is an amazing tactician. I am sure he is going to come up with something we have not seen before, and surprise teams. I expect United to be close next year to the title, very close to it," Henry wrote in a column for skysports.com which came out on Friday.

United have signed four players in the ongoing transfer season Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian and have a formidable set of players in their squad.

"It was a transition year from a transition year with David Moyes, but now they are going to want the title again. This is United, they are not going to accept finishing second or third, or fourth, and everybody knows that. That is the way the club is," Henry said.

Last season, Chelsea were crowned champions with three league games still to play as the Jose Mourinho-coached side racked up an imposing 87 points, while going the entire campaign unbeaten at home. Manchester United finished fourth in the EPL last season, collecting 70 points from 38 games, 17 behind champions Chelsea.

"Other teams are going to adapt to what Chelsea are doing. And you saw it at the end of last season when they were struggling to win games. They were winning them, but they were struggling to do so, and they were not winning them in the same way that they were at the beginning of the season," he said.

Speaking on his former club Arsenal, the 37-year-old said, "You know some people still question Arsene Wenger (manager), but I still think that Arsene has the right attitude and fire; the fire in his belly to try to make sure that team can win another title."