Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he wants to manage Manchester United on a permanent basis in the future ahead of what could be his final match in interim charge.

Van Nistelrooy was installed as United’s caretaker last week following the sacking of Erik ten Hag and he has overseen wins over Leicester City and PAOK and a draw with Chelsea.

The Dutchman will manage United for the final time against Leicester again in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday and it is unclear if incoming head coach Ruben Amorim will retain Van Nistelrooy as an assistant.

Van Nistelrooy was manager of PSV Eindhoven until he left in 2023 and he said last week United was the only club he was prepared to take an assistant manager’s role at. Van Nistelrooy is under contract as a United assistant until 2026 and is due to hold discussions with Amorim next week.

“Of course,” Van Nistelrooy replied when asked if he would like to United manage permanently one day. “I thought this through well when I made the decision to come to United as assistant coach, I thought that through.

“I knew that coming to Manchester United was for me a special occasion where I felt I wanted to be part of this journey with the club also in an assistant role. I had clear ambitions to manage, I made the decision to sign a two-year deal as an assistant and I’m still in that frame of mind to stay in that capacity.

“I’ve enjoyed it, it gave a lot of energy, the reaction of the players was outstanding. I think also as an assistant you are quite close to players, the past three months I spent a lot of time with the playesr and got to know the players very well as human beings but also as football players, where they are in that development and how I can help. I think that relationship now is helping.

“We are together and we want to achieve something together so that bond is there and that’s why I feel very supported. That gives a lot of energy and support, lots of confidence and energy and so far so good.

“I think the appetite to build further within this club is stronger than the other bit (to manage United). So for this moment, I made a deliberate decision to step into this role for two seasons and take it from there.

“And these four games haven’t changed that sentiment and that’s why I said from the beginning what my intentions were also after my interim job.”