Steve McClaren is in line for a potential return to Manchester United and set for talks to become part of Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff.
Ten Hag's appointment as United's new permanent manager was confirmed on Thursday morning, with the Ajax head coach signing a contract until 2025 including the option of a further year.
Mitchell van der Gaag, Ten Hag's assistant at Ajax, is expected to follow him to Old Trafford. Negotiations between United and the 50-year-old are said to be ongoing but advanced.
Ten Hag is also understood to be keen to reunite with McClaren, having worked as his assistant during the former England manager's first season in charge of FC Twente.
Discussions are now set to take place with the 60-year-old, who is under consideration to work alongside Van der Gaag as Ten Hag’s backroom team takes shape.
United have insisted that no backroom appointments have been made or are expected imminently but are open to their new manager’s recommendations.
The Old Trafford club are keen to go through a thorough process with Ten Hag to assess what support staff he will require and evaluate those already working at the club.
The incoming United manager hopes to dip into McClaren’s experience of United’s inner-workings during the glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson.
McClaren joined as an assistant to Ferguson midway through the historic treble-winning 1998-99 campaign and was part of a backroom staff that won a further two Premier League titles before his departure in 2001.
Several members of predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's backroom staff left the club shortly after his dismissal was confirmed last November, with Michael Carrick, Kieran McKenna and Martyn Pert all departing.
That exodus left interim manager Ralf Rangnick depending upon short-term appointments of Chris Armas and Ewan Sharp, who had links to Solskjaer’s replacement through the Red Bull football project.
Mike Phelan - another veteran of the Ferguson era, who returned to the club under Solskjaer - signed a new contract extension until 2024 last October has taken on a less prominent role since Rangnick's arrival.
