Ruud van Nistelrooy hasn’t just been linked with a return to Manchester United, the club legend has reportedly already been approached and talks are thought to be “advancing fast” as the rebuild under the INEOS regimecontinues.
Even more interestingly, it appears as though he may have dropped a few hints about where he sees his future going of late.
As first reported by Fabrizio Romano on Sunday, van Nistelrooy is said to have been approached by Man United and the recently rejigged executive team this month, with a look to have him join Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff ahead of next season.
Though Romano was the first person to report on the prospective van Nistelrooy-United reunion, the 47-year-old has been talking about potential next steps for his career as recently as March, and many fans are getting excited now they are understood to have advanced.
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As per The Mirror, van Nistelrooy was quoted as saying: “I have had offers from various clubs, also in my own country, but I would love to work in England or in Spain. I want to coach in a league where I have played because I speak the language fluently in those countries.
“In my opinion, I have gained plenty of experience. I have gone through the ranks. I did the younger youth teams at PSV, I was coach of the under-21s and subsequently became manager of the first team.”
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The ex-United and Real Madrid striker, who scored 150 goals in 219 games for the Reds, also went on to note how he helped a number of talented young players including CodyGakpo, Noni Madueke, Johan Bakayoko and Xavi Simons.
Speaking of youth talent, another interesting link has arisen from United’s ongoing pursuit of Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who van Nistelrooy gushed over at length in his Coaches’ Voice ‘Masterclass’ episode, which spotlighted his significant win over Ajax in the Dutch Cup final.
While it remains unclear what the exact nature of the role would be, it’s clear that van Nistelrooy is more than confident in his own abilities and being a fellow compatriot of ten Hag could be a plus in the column to perhaps become his latest assistant coach.
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However, it could very well be the case that he turned down previous job offers as he’s waiting for a top job at a club in England or Spain as already hinted.
Furthermore, van Nistelrooy went on to add: “It matters to me that it is a well-organised club. I still want to work with young players, but ideally with a mixture of experienced professionals. I want to help them improve and bring a winning mentality. The latter is the most important thing. With my style of football.”
That being said, given it’s been a somewhat turbulent time for Man United recently – a team who are still very much in flux, have only recently confirmed that ten Hag will stay on as manager and are still yet to show a clear way of playing – this could equally cast doubts over a deal being struck.
Manchester City complete the signing of highly-rated forward Omar Marmoush
Danny Jones
Manchester City have completed their third signing of the January transfer window as Omar Marmoush is officially a blue.
Joining Man City from Eintracht Frankfurt on a deal said to be worth around £59 million, he arrives at the Etihad just 48 hours after new defensive duo Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis were also revealed.
Agreeing to a four-and-a-half-year contract, Marmoush was the second-highest scorer in this current Bundesliga campaign (15), boasting 20 goals and 14 assists across all competitions already, so City fans can certainly expect plenty of attacking threat.
The fast and dynamic forward has mainly been deployed as a striker for Frankfurt but can play as inserted winger on either flank, giving Pep Guardiola‘s side another option.
Donning one of football’s most iconic shirts with the number seven (which has been vacant ever since Joao Cancelo left the club), the 25-year-old landed in Manchester with plenty of excitement as City were by no means the only Premier League outfit looking to secure his services.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool were said to be monitoring his situation as one of the most sought-after targets in Europe – the latter obviously rumoured to have expressed a vested interest given the impending departure of their talisman, Mo Salah.
‘The Egyptian King’ has been one of if not the best player in the league this season with 18 goals and a baker’s dozen assists so far but informed the leaders in this year’s title race that this would be his last year at the club.
Those sentimental enough amongst the red half of Merseyside were naturally hoping his compatriot Marmoush might make an ideal replacement and follow in the 32-year-old’s footsteps for the years to come, but the blue half of Manchester seem to have led the chase right from the off.
Nevertheless, Salah has more than left his mark on English football and his fellow national teammate has already been given the perfect nickname.
Speaking in his first interview as a City player, Marmoush said: “Representing my country at a big club like this was something I always dreamed of. [Now] my dreams are becoming a reality of being [the first Egyptian] at Manchester City and I hope I can keep up this level.
“The Premier League is for us in Egypt the biggest league and the most followed league because of my team-mates like Mo Salah and other Egyptian players that have played in the Premier League.
“Most of the players growing up, our dream is to be here and that is why it makes me so happy that I am here to reach this beautiful league.”
Elsewhere at the club, a loan deal for Kyle Walker to join AC Milan with an option to buy also looks to be all but done. Happy with the transfer business done so far, Blues?
The 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season has been delayed
Danny Jones
The next Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) season has been officially delayed by nearly three weeks.
Announced on Tuesday, 21 January, the decision has been taken in an effort to help promote the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC), the proximity of which is rather close to the national union championship competition.
With sporting bodies also trying to nurture a growing interest in female rugby, the start of the next PWR season will be pushed back not only to give players more time to rest but in an effort to drive a larger audience to the WRWC as well, the final of which is being played here in England.
The hope is that it will also better the Red Roses’ chances of winning the international tournament in turn – fingers firmly crossed.
Get excited 🤩
The PWR 2025-26 Season will officially kick off on Saturday 25th October PLUS the PWR Cup will return 🙌
The conclusion of the international tournament is taking place at Twickenham Stadium in London on 27 September, just days before the 2025/26 Premiership season was due to start.
Local side Sale Sharks are sadly at the bottom of the table this current campaign, which kicked off on 5 October 2024 and ends this March, but with eyes already on the WRWC the focus for lots of players in the division will no doubt already be shifting.
Not only is the domestic women’s rugby season being delayed by nearly three whole weeks – meaning the first games won’t happen until 25 October – but this comes after the current schedule of fixtures was also reduced with player recovery in mind ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the PWR’s operations manager, Amy Walmsley, said: “The Rugby World Cup is a generational moment for women’s rugby and will create a huge opportunity for both PWR and our clubs to grow and celebrate with their fans.
“The optimum time between the Rugby World Cup Final and our first league match will ensure we capitalise on what we already know will be the biggest and best World Cup ever, while also ensuring player welfare with adequate rest across the season.”
The stats back it up too as 2024 saw numerous milestones for the women’s game; in addition to record crowds at the Olympics, last year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations was the most viewed on record with 8.1 million fans tuning in, not to mention an increased interest among 18-24-year-olds.
You can find the run-down of the Sale Sharks Women fixtures below:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗜𝗻
All of our fixtures for the 24/25 season are locked in. Let's bring that Northern roar to every game #SharksFamily 🦈
As for the final of the Premiership Women’s Rugby, the date has been reverted to its usual window in June, which should also fit within what congestion remains.
Nevertheless, with the Women’s Six Nations in late April and England – who have won all but one of their last 51 games – set to begin their World Cup on 22 August, the margins are still going to be somewhat fine if they are to head into the tournament in the best shape possible.
With the tickets selling extremely well, the expectation is that the Rugby World Cup final break is set to break the world record for the best-attended women’s rugby fixture in history.
In the meantime, Greater Manchester is gearing up for the men’s action as the Six Nations gets underway at the end of this month and the city is boasting the perfect place to watch it.
Danny Jones -
24th June 2024 
