Manchester United have brought Ruud van Nistelrooy back to Old Trafford after appointing their former striker and his fellow Dutchman Rene Hake as Erik ten Hag’s new assistant managers.
Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in his five seasons playing under Sir Alex Ferguson between 2001 and 2006, and Hake have agreed to two-year contracts, covering the remainder of Ten Hag’s extended deal.
As part of a restructuring of the coaching staff, former assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy have departed from United. However, Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher, who previously served as technical director, remain at the club with revised roles as senior first team coach and first team coach respectively.
Van Nistelrooy was the manager of PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, securing victory in the Dutch Cup and finishing as runners-up in the Eredivisie. He was recently interviewed for the Burnley job, which ultimately went to Scott Parker.
Hake, a longstanding associate of Ten Hag, has overseen Go Ahead Eagles for the past two seasons, guiding them to a ninth-place finish in the Eredivisie last year.
Ten Hag said: “I am delighted that Rene and Ruud have agreed to join our project, adding a wealth of experience, knowledge and new energy to the staff. Now is a good time to refresh the coaching team as we look to build on the achievements of the past two years and push to the next level.”
Sporting director Dan Ashworth added: “Together with Erik, we are working to strengthen all areas of our men’s first team operations, and refreshing the coaching staff is an important part of that. It’s a particular pleasure to welcome Ruud back to the club where he enjoyed so much success as a player, and I know that he and Rene will help reinforce the winning mentality and high standards we are aiming for.”
Van der Gaag, who had been Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax as well, has left to pursue his ambitions to be a manager in his own right.
