Manchester United may appoint a club legend on an interim basis should they sack Erik ten Hag, according to a former club scout.
Manchester United may allegedly give consideration to appointing Ruud van Nistelrooy as their new head coach on an interim basis.
Current incumbent Erik ten Hag was provided with a reprieve over the summer after new minority owners INEOS failed to acquire any of their preferred alternatives.
Ten Hag ultimately remained at the helm, was provided with a new contract and given extra talent to work with in many areas of the pitch.
Rather than lead a revival at Old Trafford, Ten Hag has overseen just three victories in nine matches this season, coming against Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley respectively.
Just seven points have been accumulated in six Premier League fixtures, their third defeat during that period being posted against Tottenham Hotspur who emerged victorious by a 3-0 scoreline on Sunday.
Although a report has indicated that the Dutchman will be provided with a short-term stay of execution, the pressure has intensified ahead of the upcoming double-header with Porto and Aston Villa.
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“I think he would be a brilliant fit”
Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown has talked up the credentials of Van Nistelrooy, who was brought back to the club as Ten Hag’s assistant during the off-season.
He said: “Ruud van Nistelrooy has come in, and I know him, he’s a top-class person. I was instrumental in signing Ruud. I think he’d be a brilliant fit.
“But at the moment, he can only do what the manager instructs him to do, so we haven’t seen too much of what he’s capable of.
“They’re going to have to do something because I don’t think there’s a long list of candidates out there waiting for the job.”
Brown later suggested that the former striker would be a prime candidate to be promoted to the senior role on an interim basis.
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Would Van Nistelrooy be a suitable replacement?
The perception is that Ten Hag has two matches to save his job, less than ideal circumstances when trips to Porto and Villa are on the schedule.
During his playing days, Van Nistelrooy contributed an incredible 150 goals from 219 appearances for United across a five-year period between 2001 and 2006.
As a head coach, the 48-year-old is less proven, but 33 victories were recorded from 51 games in charge of PSV Eindhoven between May 2022 and May 2023.
Albeit generally facing weaker opposition, PSV would score 126 goals in that time, the negative being that a total of 60 strikes were shipped at the other end.