Roy Keane wants surprise Premier League boss to become new Man Utd manager as club near caretaker appointment

Howe has previously been linked with a move to Manchester, with his name being mentioned ahead of the 2025-26 campaign - when United were reportedly mulling over what to do with Amorim on the back of a 15th-placed finish and failure to qualify for Europe.

The 48-year-old’s stock remains high after leading Newcastle to Carabao Cup glory and a place in the Champions League last season. He is, however, one of several names being mooted as a future boss at Old Trafford.

United have, after severing ties with Amorim on January 5, decided that they want an interim appointment through to the end of the current campaign - with former fan favourites Michael Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy all in the mix as Darren Fletcher fills the dugout at present on a caretaker basis.

Solskjaer enjoyed a productive spell as interim boss following Jose Mourinho’s sacking in 2018-19, before going on to spend almost three years at the helm. Quizzed on whether his fellow 1999 Treble winner would be the right choice again, ex-Red Devils captain Keane told Sky Sports: “You could throw 20 names at me and I'd still say the same thing. Whoever goes in, you wish them well. Do I think it's the right or wrong answer? I don't know. If it's until the end of the season, I think Ole would do alright. Do I see Ole as the manager for the next four or five seasons, getting United back competing, then probably not.”

Pressed further on who he would turn to, Keane added: “'I'd go Eddie Howe. I like him. I like what he's done, his management. He's managed a lot of games, when his teams are at it, they play good football.

“I know he's not for everyone, he'll have his critics but I like what he's done at Newcastle and Bournemouth, he's managed 700 to 800 games, he's still a young man. I love his calmness, I think sometimes Man United need a bit of that.

“We've seen the previous manager going in - I like people with emotion, obviously I'm quite an emotional person - but I think his calmness, what he's done at Newcastle, Champions League a couple of times, winning the (League) Cup. I'd be happy to see him go in there.”

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Howe has sought to distance himself from the United speculation, saying when asked about those rumours prior to Newcastle playing out a thrilling 4-3 victory over Leeds at St James’ Park: “Nothing has changed from my perspective. I'm 100 per cent here, working as hard as I can, head down, ignoring all the stuff that you guys write, good or bad, because it's irrelevant.

“It's about today's work and trying to prepare the team, so that will never change from my perspective, my commitment to my work and my job. As long as I'm happy and able to express myself in the best way that I can to help the team, nothing will change.”

Howe is working on a long-term contract at Newcastle, with it being suggested that United would need to part with an “eight-figure” compensation package in order to free him from that agreement.

With that in mind, it comes as little surprise to find that Oliver Glasner is registering prominently on their recruitment radar. The Austrian is another with Premier League experience and will see his deal at Crystal Palace expire in the summer - freeing him to take on a new challenge.

While working through future plans, United are looking to keep focus locked on the present. They were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Burnley in Fletcher’s first game at the helm - keeping them seventh in the table - and will be back in action on Sunday when taking in an FA Cup third-round clash with Brighton.