I brought Ruud van Nistelrooy to Manchester United - he would be a brilliant fit as manager

Ruud van Nistelrooy would be a 'brilliant fit' to take over as Manchester United manager, according to the club's former scout who helped bring him to Old Trafford.

The former United striker returned to the club as an assistant manager this summer but is now in the frame to take over, on an interim basis at least, with Erik ten Hag under increasing pressure after a disastrous to the start.

United have won just three of their first nine games in all competitions and they have suffered successive 3-0 Premier League defeats at Old Trafford. The defeat to Tottenham on Sunday has put Ten Hag's job back in the spotlight.

He will remain in charge for the Europa League trip to Porto and the Premier League fixture with Aston Villa but if results don't improve Ineos could be forced into a change and Van Nistelrooy is a contender to take temporary charge.

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He spent a year managing PSV Eindhoven and won the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup before leaving the club in the summer of 2023. He turned down the chance to return to management this summer to take up the coaching role at his former club.

Van Nistelrooy joined United as a player from PSV in 2021 and went on to score 150 goals in 219 appearances, winning a Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. United's chief scout Mick Brown was integral in bringing the Dutch striker to the club and he believes he has the traits to thrive in the dugout as well.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy has come in, and I know him, he’s a top-class person,” he told Football Insider. “I was instrumental in signing Ruud. I think he’d be a brilliant fit.

“But at the