Manchester United coach considering quitting after INEOS' overhaul of Erik ten Hag's backroom staff: Reports

Manchester United coach Steve McClaren is reportedly considering leaving the club after being pushed down Erik ten Hag's backroom staff. The English coach was the Dutchman's assistant last season but is now the senior first-team coach.

Football Insider reports could quit due to the backroom changes made by INEOS. Red Devils icon Ruud van Nistelrooy and former Go Ahead Eagles coach Rene Hake have become Ten Hag's new assistants. Former Burnley goalkeeping coach Jelle ten Rouwelaar has also arrived in the same role.

McClaren's role has changed as he's now the senior first-team coach rather than assistant to Ten Hag. He didn't head to the United States for Manchester United's pre-season tour because of surgery on his foot.

The 63-year-old returned to Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 to work with longtime ally Ten Hag. He'd previously worked with the Premier League club as an assistant to the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.

Manchester United's coaching staff has undergone an extensive overhaul amid a disappointing 2023-24 season overall. They finished eighth in the league and endured their worst Premier League campaign in history.

Van Nistelrooy and Hake have replaced Ten Hag's longtime assistant coach, Mitchell van der Gaag, and iconic former Premier League striker Benni McCarthy. These changes were made by INEOS, whose leadership team is Omar Berrada (CEO), Dan Ashworth (sporting director), and Jason Wilcox (technical director).

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"I like the appointment" - Jaap Stam hailed Ruud van Nistelrooy's return to Manchester United

Jaap Stam is a fan of Ruud van Nistelrooy's return.

Van Nistelrooy's appointment as Ten Hag's new assistant manager might be the best piece of business INEOS conducts this summer. The iconic former Dutch striker knows the club well, having enjoyed five years at Old Trafford as a player.

The 48-year-old also arrives with managerial experience, having coached PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie and leading them to the Dutch Super Cup and the KNVB Cup in 2023.

Jaap Stam spoke highly of Manchester United's two new assistant managers, Hake included. The Red Devils legend told The Athletic:

"As a manager, you need people who will go against you and challenge you and hopefully Ruud and Rene [Hake] will do this... At United now, Ruud can hopefully, bring some quality to the strikers in coaching and make the players better as individuals. He’s been a manager himself, too, so that should help. I like the appointment."

During United's pre-season, Van Nistelrooy displayed an aura on the coaching bench. He's been seen working closely with attackers such as Marcus Rashford and Joe Hugill.