“I was in talks…” – new Man United addition reveals Ten Hag’s crucial role in surprise Old Trafford move

Manchester United coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has revealed he was planning for another managerial role and talking with other clubs before receiving a call from Erik ten Hag to make a surprise return to Old Trafford.

The Dutchman had impressed in a spell as manager of PSV Eindhoven, and it was a bit of a surprise to see him pause his managerial career for a role working under Ten Hag at Man Utd.

Red Devils fans will have been delighted to see Van Nistelrooy back at the club after his success there as a player, and it must surely be useful for Ten Hag to have someone with that kind of experience and expertise on his staff.

Van Nistelrooy seemed to have his head turned by Ten Hag, so the Dutch tactician surely deserves a lot of credit for helping MUFC pull off this surprise move to significantly strengthen their backroom team.

Van Nistelrooy on Ten Hag talks to return to Man United

Discussing his situation this summer with TNT Sports, Van Nistelrooy said: “I was on a managerial track. I managed PSV, it was an unbelievable experience. I was in talks with clubs to manage and I love it [managing].

“I had my staff all ready and then I had a phone call. I never even saw this as a possibility. Erik called me and talked it through. I started to love the idea.”

Van Nistelrooy could be a good person to have on board at United as they try to get back to their best, with Ten Hag perhaps set to benefit from reshuffling his staff this summer.

So far, we’re yet to see clear signs of improvement from United, but these things take time and the club’s fans will at least hope slightly better foundations are now in place for something positive to develop in the next few months and beyond.