Van Nistelrooy Open to Managing Manchester United in the Future

Ruud van Nistelrooy has expressed interest in becoming the permanent manager of Manchester United one day, but for now, he plans to return to his assistant coach role when Ruben Amorim takes over on Monday.

Van Nistelrooy, who rejoined United in the summer as an assistant under Erik ten Hag, stepped in as interim manager after his fellow Dutchman was dismissed on October 28. During his brief tenure, United secured two victories and one draw, with the 48-year-old set to lead the team for the fourth and final time in Sunday's Premier League match against Leicester.

The former United striker, who managed PSV Eindhoven for one season and won the Dutch Cup, had previously stated that Manchester United was the only club where he would be willing to put his managerial ambitions on hold in favor of an assistant role. He reaffirmed his desire to manage the club one day, saying, "Yeah, of course."

Reflecting on his decision to join United, Van Nistelrooy explained, "I thought this through well when I made the decision to come to United as an assistant manager or assistant coach. I knew that coming to Manchester United was for me a special occasion, where I felt I wanted to be part of this journey with the club in also an assistant role."

Though he is under contract until 2026, questions remain about Van Nistelrooy's future, as Amorim is expected to bring in his own staff. However, Van Nistelrooy remains focused on finishing his interim spell strong, saying, “The focus now is to build on that and show that on Sunday, with a big game ahead and a massive three points that are there to win.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United coach Darren Fletcher has been handed a three-match touchline ban and a £7,500 fine by the Football Association for misconduct during United's Premier League victory over Brentford on October 19. Fletcher was accused of using "abusive and/or insulting words" towards match officials after an incident involving home defender Matthijs de Ligt being forced to leave the field due to a head injury.

In injury news, Amad Diallo, who scored twice in United's recent Europa League victory over PAOK, is a doubt for the Leicester match. Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire are still recovering, but left-back Luke Shaw has returned to training after a long absence, joining fellow injured players Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, and Leny Yoro in the group.