'I love a certain way of playing' - Ruud van Nistelrooy has told Manchester United what to expect from him

Ruud van Nistelrooy will get at least one opportunity to take charge of Manchester United as they work on appointing a permanent successor to Erik ten Hag.

United have identified Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as their top candidate for the vacancy and are working on a compensation package that would see him move to Old Trafford with immediate effect.

It means interim head coach Van Nistelrooy might not get many chances to showcase his own managerial credentials, though he will be in the dugout when they host Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

The 46-year-old cut his teeth working at the PSV Eindhoven academy, as well as assistant roles in the Dutch national team set-up, before he finally took charge of the PSV first-team for a solitary season.

Despite his short spell in top-flight management, Van Nistelrooy has earned a reputation for nurturing young talent and playing an attacking brand of football, something he learned from Sir Alex Ferguson.

"As a player, the most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual. It’s not a football player; it’s a person. When you reach that connection, you get the best out of people – and from there on you can help them build their careers. I never let that thought go out of my mind," he told Coaches' Voice earlier this year.

“Sometimes you have to be tough on them, of course, and sometimes you have to get your arm around them. That mixture is important, but the most important thing is to always be honest and straight. When you have knowledge about the game, and what is necessary at the highest level, you must share it. As a coach, or as a mentor within a group of coaches, you just try to help players reach their goals. And it is something that makes you feel really proud when you see young players develop.

“I love the game, and I love a certain way of playing. At Manchester United, Sir Alex was always pushing us forward. Look forward, play forward, get crosses in, shoot on target. As a player, I loved the way that made me feel. I wanted to play like that, and I want to transmit that same feeling to my teams, to my players.

“There is a long history of great Dutch coaches, and I have so much admiration for the careers they have had. Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat, and now of course Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot. It is motivational for me to continue learning, to continue improving myself, and maybe one day make the steps to show I am capable of that. It’s a fantastic challenge, and I’m looking forward to taking it on."

That day will be tomorrow.