Man Utd players have decided behind the scenes whom they believe will be their permanent manager – it’s not Amorim

Manchester United players, like the fans, are awaiting clarification over who will be taking the reins long-term at Old Trafford.

Club chiefs remain locked in negotiations with first-choice candidate Ruben Amorim, who is contractually tied to Sporting Lisbon until 2026. As such, they would have to fork out around £8 million to buy him out of his current terms but are willing to do so, given the considerable lack of options on the free agent market.

An approach has also reportedly been made for Amorim’s compatriot Marco Silva. United held talks with the Fulham boss over the summer while they contemplated Erik ten Hag’s future, though nothing came to fruition between either party. 

Until a permanent successor is acquired, club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy will be in the hot seat on an interim basis. He boasts more managerial experience than most assistant coaches due to the time he spent at PSV Eindhoven from July 2022 to May 2023, after which he left due to insufficient support from the management as well as reports of a player revolt – despite overseeing the side’s journey to Dutch Cup success.  

How Van Nistelrooy fared at PSV

In his 50 matches in the dugout, the Dutchman won 33, drew 20 and lost eight. 126 goals were scored in the process, but 60 were also conceded at the other end.

Van Nistelrooy secured a second-placed Eredivisie finish in his only term, with now Liverpool boss Arne Slot topping the table with Feyenoord and boasting a seven-point advantage over their runner-up rivals. PSV did, however, register a league-high goal record after netting a remarkable 89 times.

The ex-striker then decided to part ways with his former club after their penultimate league outing and returned to Carrington over the summer to begin work with compatriot Erik ten Hag. The pair only spent three months together before the  54-year-old was relieved of his duties.

According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol (relayed by Caught Offside), at least a couple of squad members are of the belief that Van Nistelrooy will eventually be given the role on a full-time basis, assuming he makes a lasting impression on United executives the same way Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did in 2019.