Departed Manchester United coach 'keen' to remain in Premier League amid Southampton and Wolves uncertainty

The pressure is cranking up on Southampton head coach Russell Martin and if the Saints decide to pull the trigger and let him go, they could replace the former Scotland international with Manchester United fan favourite Ruud van Nistelrooy.

They are not the only Premier League club who could sack their respective managers in the not too distant future - Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil is also struggling, as is Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace. Currently, Southampton are rock bottom of the Premier League table with just four points from 11 games - meanwhile, Wolves are 19th with six points, while Palace are 18th with seven points. Should their poor form continue, a change in the manager’s hotseat is ‘inevitable’.

Therefore, Van Nistelrooy has plenty of options on the horizon for him to continue his managerial career. He is also thought to be in contention for the Coventry City job, after they opted to sack long standing manager Mark Robins. Additionally, he was also ‘considered’ by Burnley during the summer, but the Clarets would ultimately appoint Scott Parker instead. While he could end up at the Sky Blues, according to a report from Football Insider, the Dutchman is ‘keen’ to remain in the Premier League, following his Old Trafford departure.

Van Nistelrooy performed an admirable job during his brief stint as interim head coach of the Red Devils - he oversaw four games, winning three and drawing one. It was not his first spell as a first team head coach as he also managed PSV from 2022 to 2023 and led their reserves team (Jong PSV) prior to this. When Van Nistelrooy left United, he issued a heartfelt farewell message to the fans on social media, which reads: “To everyone at Manchester United Football Club, in particular the backroom staff, the players and the fans. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible efforts and support.

“It has been a privilege and honour to represent the club as a player, coach and manager, and I will always cherish the memories we have shared together. M.U.F.C will always have a special place in my heart, and I hope there are many more glory days at Old Trafford very soon - not only because I want the club to do well, but because you all deserve it! All the best and take care, Ruud.”

Van Nistelrooy is a bona fide United legend. He is best known for his time as a player, when he was widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. During his run with the Red Devils, the 48 year old scored 95 goals over the course of 150 Premier League games - he also won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the League Cup. Outside of Old Trafford, he also played for PSV, Hamburg and Real Madrid. His time at Madrid was arguably the most successful period of his career, as he won two La Liga titles and the Spanish Super Cup.