Roy Keane was in line for a return to Manchester United if Michael Carrick had never got the job, according to the Sun.
The former Red Devils captain has been a vocal critic of his old club over the years, and he came close to joining as a coach earlier this year.
Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were both in the running for the interim job when Man United sacked Ruben Amorim in January.
The Norwegian had plans to make Keane his assistant had he got the job, but United co-owner and the rest of the board opted for Carrick.
The midfielder helped the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League at the end of the season, clinching the job permanently as a result.
Keane could have been in the Man United dugout this season had Solskjaer been given the chance to manage the team again.
It would have been intriguing to see such a personality coaching the Red Devils stars given his no-nonsense approach and style to things.
The standards have dropped at the Old Trafford club since the likes of Keane and Gary Neville retired many years ago.
The players have been underwhelming this season, and Carrick will be desperate to get them firing on all cylinders following a woeful start to 2026-27.
He recently had a meeting with the squad after United decided to allow him to remain in charge despite last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
The Red Devils boss will hope the talks yield result when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.