The 29-year-old only joined Turkish side Galatasaray from Inter in January, but has already been linked with a move away in a number of reports.

And Van Gaal has admitted it would be easier for him to watch the midfielder were he to ply his trade in the Premier League.

"Sneijder to Chelsea is just a rumour at the moment, but it would be much easier for me to keep an eye on his progress if he were to make the move to Chelsea," Van Gaal said.

"I could be at Chelsea within an hour from the Netherlands and Mourinho is a friend of mine."

Sneijder scored three goals in 12 appearances for Galatasaray from January onward, helping them claim the 2012-13 Super Lig title.

He has 93 caps with the Netherlands, and has scored 25 goals in his 10-year international career.