Van Nistelrooy would stay at Manchester United ‘in any capacity’

Ruud van Nistelrooy said he is ready to stay at Manchester United “in any capacity” whenever a new manager is appointed after overseeing a 5-2 Carabao Cup win against Leicester City at Old Trafford in his first game as interim head coach following Monday’s dismissal of manager Erik ten Hag.

United are continuing to negotiate with Sporting CP for the release of head coach Ruben Amorim after agreeing to pay the 39-year-old’s €10 million ($10.8 million) clause to replace Ten Hag.

However, sources have told ESPN that although United are “getting there” in their efforts to seal a deal for Amorim, the terms of his contract with the Portuguese champions could see his arrival at Old Trafford delayed until the start of the next international break on Nov 11.

Such a delay to Amorim’s arrival at United would likely see Van Nistelrooy remain in interim charge for the Premier League games against Chelsea (Nov. 3) and Leicester City (Nov. 10) as well as the Europa League tie against PAOK Thessaloniki at Old Trafford on Nov. 7.

Having been hired by United as assistant manager to Ten Hag in the summer, Van Nistelrooy’s time at the club where he spent five years as a player could yet be short, but he said after the Leicester game that he will stay as long as he is wanted.

“Of course,” Van Nistelrooy told Sky Sports. “I came here as an assistant to help the club. Now in this role, I’m helping as long as needed.

“In the future in any capacity, I’m here to help the club further to build towards the future that’s what I’m here for.

“To go back to yesterday [Tuesday], of course receiving the players and getting together for the first day after Erik [ten Hag] had to leave was a sad day to share. Mixed emotions.

“He was the one that asked me to work back here again, and in the first conversation we had I felt such a passion and care for this football club. That is why I was so sad to see him go.

“Having said that, football and life continues, and we knew that 75,000 people would be waiting for us here today, with millions more watching at home behind their screens and radios and you have to switch then as players.

“We tried to switch that button for the players, try to get the mindset going and go out tonight and give everything for the fans.”

United sealed a Carabao Cup quarterfinal tie away to Tottenham Hotspur with the win against Leicester, but they remain in 14th position in the Premier League table. Results and performances must improve quickly for United to salvage their season, and Van Nistelrooy said that his only job now is to ensure that the team continues on an upwards curve.

“It is clear that this is going to be short term, so for me today was the most important day after what happened,” he said. “In such short notice we had to have things getting going and get into the quarterfinals.

“Credit to the players, they were fantastic today.

“For now, the focus is on Chelsea on Sunday, and I do not really look any further.”