RUUD VAN NISTELROOY is reportedly on the verge of joining Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff.
The former Manchester United striker is set to return to the club he left 18 years ago.
Van Nistelrooy has been without a job for just over a year after leaving PSV Eindhoven.
He was offered the chance to return to management with Burnley and Club Brugge, as well as clubs in Spain and Germany.
But he has rejected those opportunities to join United as a coach, according to Dutch outlet AD.
Van Nistelrooy has plenty of experience as a coach and worked his way up at PSV.
He was hailed for his playing style during a 12-month spell at PSV, bringing through stars such as Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.
He won the Dutch Cup last year and finished second in Eredivisie behind Feyenoord.
The former striker also acted as assistant boss to Guus Hiddink at the 2014 World Cup.
Van Nistelrooy made 219 appearances for the Red Devils between 2001 and 2006.
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Erik ten Hag is no safer now than before FA Cup win
By Neil Custis
After Manchester United announced Erik ten Hag was staying on, they tried to explain why it has taken over two weeks since the Dutchman paraded the FA Cup at Wembley to actually tell him he still had the job.
A thorough review of the season was needed even though Ten Hag said before the Cup final that this had been done.
The club said that they had ‘considered all eventualities’.
In other words ‘which manager would be best for us, and not necessarily the bloke we have got?’.
And the club were also at pains to make it clear how much they admired Ten Hag’s ‘dedication, dignity and professionalism’.
In other words he did not publicly flip his lid at the appalling way he was being treated despite asking Ratcliffe for a public vote of confidence months before the end of the season.
Let us remember Ratcliffe did not even namecheck Ten Hag in his ‘congratulations message’ after the FA Cup was won, despite the fact it was all down to him and the way he outthought Pep Guardiola on the day.
Read the full column from Neil Custis on Manchester United.
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
Playing honours:
PSV
- Eredivisie: 1999–2000, 2000–01
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 1998
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2002–03
- FA Cup: 2003–04
- Football League Cup: 2005–06
- FA Community Shield: 2003
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2006–07, 2007–08
- Supercopa de España: 2008
Managerial honours:
PSV
- KNVB Cup: 2022–23
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2022
He scored 150 goals for United and won the Premier League and FA Cup.
The Dutchman also played for Real Madrid and Hamburg and won 70 caps for the Netherlands.
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