Manchester United have lined up Ruud van Nistelrooy as Erik ten Hag’s interim replacement (Reuters)
Ruud van Nistelrooy is wary about replacing Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager, according to reports.
The former United striker returned to Old Trafford in the summer as part of Ten Hag’s coaching staff having resigned as PSV manager last year.
Ten Hag is already under pressure following United’s underwhelming start to the season in which they’ve registered just three wins in nine games.
United’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa has been billed as a must-win for Ten Hag to remain in charge heading into the international break.
According to the Sunday Mirror, United would offer Van Nistelrooy the manager’s job if Ten Hag is sacked on an interim basis.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is said to be wary of being seen as betraying Erik ten Hag (Action Images via Reuters)
However, Van Nistelrooy is said to be worried about being viewed as an ‘opportunist’ having only arrived in the support as someone to provide support for Ten Hag.
A source in Holland told the newspaper: ‘Van Nistelrooy is a principled guy.
‘He felt betrayed at Eindhoven – and he will not want to be viewed as the man who went behind Erik ten Hag’s back.’
In an interview with the Mirror, former United striker, Dwight Yorke, also raised concerns over the club’s motive behind bringing Van Nistelrooy back to Old Trafford with Ten Hag still in charge.
‘So the appointment of Ruud? Well Ruud is a manager. He was a manager, he wants to be a manager – and he’s had success. Ruud won a cup at PSV. When I saw he went to Manchester United, I thought, ‘there’s something not right with that’,’ Yorke said.
‘I gave Ruud the benefit of the doubt because I know him. But when you have a name like Ruud in the background, there’s something not quite right. It’s like when Roy Keane was at Villa under Paul Lambert and Martin O’Neill. I won’t say ‘suspicious’, but there is something not right.
‘I’m sure Ruud is professional, does his job. But you can’t help wondering if he would be in position to take over if Ten Hag goes. I feel like there is something in it. I find it a bit bizarre.
‘I’d be interested to see if Ten Hag was sacked, will they give Ruud the interim job, or will he walk away from the job? That’s when I will really figure out what this is all about. Everyone loves United, so why would he turn it down?’
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