Erik ten Hag is close to agreeing his new contract as Manchester United manager, with talks advancing to add Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake to his staff.
Discussions have been taking place about Ten Hag refreshing his team and progress is being made on appointing Van Nistelrooy and Hake as assistant managers.
Their arrival, if confirmed, would lead to the prospect of Mitchell van der Gaag departing.
Ten Hag has been weighing up a reshuffle of coaching duties after a turbulent season and it is felt Van der Gaag may see now as the right time to step away. He has ambitions to be a No 1 again, having managed in Portugal and Holland previously.
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Van der Gaag has been pivotal to United’s coaching programme, so his work would need replacing. Van Nistelrooy and Hake, as two managers in their own rights, could provide this.
Their appointments would mean a recalibration of Steve McClaren’s exact role. Separate talks are also set to take place over Darren Fletcher’s responsibilities at the club, with Benni McCarthy’s position uncertain
There are set to be changes at United (Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
McClaren, a former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, returned to the club in 2022 while former midfielder Fletcher has been involved with the first team since 2021. McCarthy joined the club as a first-team coach in June 2022.
Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006 to establish himself as a firm fan favourite. He has managerial experience from a one-season spell at PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, where he won the Dutch Cup.
Hake is an experienced coach after a long career in Holland. He is currently head coach of Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles.
United ended the season with their lowest finish of the Premier League era (eighth) before winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City to qualify for the Europa League.
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The club sounded out potential replacements including ex-Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel, former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna before opting to keep Ten Hag.
The Dutchman was appointed at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 with this season’s FA Cup a second trophy of his time in charge.
In his first season, Ten Hag finished third in the Premier League and won the EFL Cup, while United also reached the FA Cup final, where they were beaten by City.
(Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
