Louis van Gaal needs to be "very careful" with new signing Memphis Depay to ensure he shines at Manchester United, according to former Netherlands international Pierre van Hooijdonk.
Depay, 21, completed his transfer to United from PSV Eindhoven earlier this month, for a reported fee of £25 million, after scoring 22 Eredivisie goals last season.
Van Hooijdonk, who played in England for Nottingham Forest, believes the attacker has the potential to be an Old Trafford great, but only if he is provided with the right environment to thrive.
He said in the Sunday People: "I don't know yet how Depay will fit in and in which position, but when you sign a forward player you have to be very careful.
"You have to create an environment the player has played in. A lot of coaches take a player out of that environment and put him in a different environment, and then it's not going to happen.
"Memphis plays on the left. I don't think he will play on the right. Maybe he could play in the two up front.
"He is capable of creating something and making things happen, and he can score goals. These qualities these days are very important. Many teams struggle to score goals.
"He's not a central forward, he plays more from the left and comes inside quite a lot. He still needs to find the right balance."
Van Hooijdonk also dispelled suggestions Depay is a similar operator to United legend Ryan Giggs, who is now part of Van Gaal's coaching staff after retiring from football in 2014.
The Dutchman added: "Memphis is a completely different player. If you think that by signing a left-winger you get somebody who compares with Giggs then you have signed the wrong one.
"He plays on the left but loves to come inside. He will have fewer assists than Giggs but he will score more goals.
"He's a great striker of the ball. He has that power to swerve one, but he is also able to take good free kicks with the inside of his boot and bend it over a wall or round it."