The 63-year-old, who signed a three-year contract at Old Trafford when he was appointed this summer, feels he owes it to his wife to end his 23-year managerial career after his time in England comes to an end.
The former Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager said he first thought about coming to United when Sir Alex Ferguson initially planned to retire, when he was in his first spell in charge of the Netherlands.
He told BT Sport: "There was always a rumour in 2001 or 2002. At that time, I was very honoured my name was in the rumour section. Now I am the manager at the end of my career because I shall do this. I think it is the end of my career."
Asked to confirm that the United post will be his last job, he explained: "Yes, I have said to my wife already nine years ago that I [would] quit at 55. Now I am 63. I have to keep my wife quiet and that's not so easy."
Van Gaal first became a manager at Ajax in 1991 and feels he has mellowed in the subsequent time, saying: "I have now more patience because that is not my best virtue. Sometimes I count until 10."
He was nicknamed the "Iron Tulip" in his native Netherlands but insisted that is inaccurate, saying: "I do not like [it]. The tulip is beautiful but iron is not saying something about my personality. It is wrong. I am always fair to everyone. But you don't have to test me, then I can be irritated."
Van Gaal appointed Wayne Rooney as United's new captain last week, with the England international scoring in United's 2-1 defeat to Swansea at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The coach believes it was vital to select someone who was an automatic choice in the starting XI, saying: "I think I shall always line up Wayne Rooney. The captain has to always be a fixed player in my squad. He likes to play in my system which can help me to inspire the other players to play in this system."
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