Man Utd in talks with Eredivisie coach to become Erik ten Hag’s assistant

René Hake worked with Erik ten Hag at FC Twente

René Hake, the head coach of Go Ahead Eagles, and Ruud van Nistelrooy are both now in talks to join Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff at Manchester United.

Current assistants Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag, as well as forwards coach Benni McCarthy, face an uncertain summer as part of the Ineos-led overhaul.

Both Hake and Van Nistelrooy are well-known to Ten Hag and would be popular recruitments given their first team managerial pedigree in recent seasons.

Hake, 52, worked previously at FC Twente’s academy with Ten Hag, while both have managed Go Ahead Eagles and Utrecht. A possible Old Trafford return for former striker Van Nistelrooy first emerged on Monday. Potential new recruits are being discussed as United make good progress with ten Hag over a contract extension.

“After our common period at Twente, we have always kept in touch. We meet up and call each other. You talk about private matters, how things are going at home and with the children,” Ten Hag said of Hake to Voetbal International last year.

“But usually it is about football. [At Twente] he was incredibly driven, ambitious, but also extremely convinced of himself. A trainer who worked very methodically.”

Where the potential addition of Van Nistelrooy would leave McCarthy, who is out of contract at the end of the month, and other figures such as Darren Fletcher remains to be seen.

Van der Gaag and McClaren currently serve as Ten Hag’s principal assistants and their positions would be in serious doubt if both Hake and Van Nistelrooy are brought in.

Hake is regarded as one of the most promising coaches in Holland, having last season led Go Ahead Eagles to a ninth-place finish in the Eredivisie.

Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006, has spoken to Burnley about the vacant manager’s job at Turf Moor but the idea of a return to Old Trafford as part of Ten Hag’s staff is thought to hold particular appeal to the former United striker.

Ruud van Nistelrooy established himself as a United great in five seasons at Old Trafford - Action Images/Ryan Browne

The 47-year-old has been biding his time waiting for the right opportunity to come up since resigning as PSV Eindhoven coach with one match of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season remaining, citing a lack of support.

United are closing in on deal with Ten Hag to extend his contract.

Ten Hag has 12 months left on his existing deal and any extension is likely to be for an additional two years to June 2027, with the Dutchman keen for a show of long-term commitment from United’s hierarchy.

As well as backroom changes, a busy summer transfer window is also expected. One major departure is expected to be Mason Greenwood, with Marseille’s new head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, opening talks with United over a potential deal.

United’s focus has been on exploring all options around a permanent sale of Greenwood, who is valued at around £40 million. But, if the right offers do not materialise, United are thought to be open to another season long loan provided it came with an obligation to buy for a set fee.

United abandoned plans to reintegrate Greenwood into their first team squad last summer in the wake of a fierce public and internal backlash and subsequently loaned him to Getafe.

In February last year, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that charges of attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour against Greenwood had been dropped after key witnesses withdrew and new material came to light.

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