The elephant in the room at Manchester United: Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Goals – lots of them – for the club. Revered by supporters. An undeniable connection to the club’s glorious past, a period United – in its current guise – are so desperately trying to replicate.
A relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson. Van Nistelrooy’s long-term agent Roger Linse has a long standing relationship with the club.
According to sources in Holland, Linse has spent more time in Manchester in recent weeks.
For many reasons, Van Nistelrooy’s return to Old Trafford has certainly got tongues wagging back in Holland.
Ruud van Nistelrooy (pictured) is the new face in the dugout this season after Manchester United stuck with Erik ten Hag
The former club legend has been working with his compatriot since the start of the campaign
A familiar face to the Old Trafford faithful, Van Nistelrooy has serious coaching ambitions
The big man is back. You wonder, though, what Erik ten Hag makes of it all.
In discussions with United chiefs at the end of the season that resulted in Ten Hag keeping his job under intense speculation that he would be leaving for INEOS to make their own appointment, it was decided the Dutch coach would replenish his support team.
Rene Hake, a long-term friend of Ten Hag, was among the new coaching arrivals.
Intriguingly, Hake, like Ten Hag and a host of players to have arrived at Old Trafford since the Dutchman’s appointment from Ajax in 2022, is a client of Dutch management agency SEG.
SEG’s involvement in United’s transfer dealings prior to INEOS’ arrival has been heavily documented in recent months.
The other coach to arrive was Van Nistelrooy, a move greeted with some skepticism back in Holland.
Van Nistelrooy had been out of work for over 12 months having left his job as PSV Eindhoven’s boss under a cloud.
Before joining up with Ten Hag at United, Van Nistelrooy managed Dutch club PSV Eindhoven
The 48-year-old’s time at the Philips Stadion was a tumultuous one later overshadowed by talk of clashes between coach and team
The 48-year-old’s reign at Philips Stadion was overshadowed by talk of private clashes with his players, many of whom held grave concerns over Van Nistelrooy’s coaching abilities.
Some players felt he was stubborn and unwilling to adapt his approach. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf carried a story detailing that a number of key players had even approached…