The easy joke to crack at the possibility of Manchester United signing Ruud van Nistelrooy is he would be an upgrade on Anthony Martial.

Van Nistelrooy, 48 on Monday, is as lean as he was during his playing days and would still be handy in five-a-side, but he has been strictly identified as a coaching addition. Rene Hake could share the coaches' sanctuary adjoined to the manager's office at Carrington.

The double Dutch approach by United raises plenty of questions about their new set-up. Eric Ramsay departed earlier this year and it is understood Benni McCarthy has not been offered a new contract, so there is space for two new hires.

Van Nistelrooy learned his trade as an assistant to three different Netherlands national team coaches but his last job was as manager of PSV Eindhoven. He spoke with Burnley about their vacant manager's role last week.

Hake is, for now, still the manager of Go Ahead Eagles. Hake and Van Nistelrooy are not names that appeared on bookies' chalkboards before Ineos decided to keep Ten Hag but the choice of senior coaches hints at a possible compromise between board members and manager.

For that is still Ten Hag's title. Sir Jim Ratcliffe referred to him as "the coach" last week and Ineos' intention has been to impose conditions on the man in the dugout. Ten Hag is 54 and has enjoyed enviable autonomy at United that he is reluctant to relinquish. Well-placed sources acknowledge both parties need to get on the same page.

It is a quirk of United's post-season inaction that Ten Hag has ceased to be the story. Ratcliffe and Ineos have had a chastening June, taking 17 days to draw conclusions about the manager concluded months ago in their end-of-season review and treating the women's team as an inconvenience.

Ratcliffe did not conceal how indifferent he is about the women's team when he held court at the Ineos office in Knightsbridge four months ago. "Speak to Tom, he's the chairman of the board," he gruffly replied in response to a question about the women's team. Tom is Crotty, a director at Ineos.

The new cabal does seem to be trying to reinvent the wheel at men's coaching level. That Ten Hag will be surrounded by compatriots with Eredivisie experience (something he has form for) gives the air that he retains control. Yet the sudden overhaul of the backroom staff has been initiated by a hierarchy that were planning to sack the manager five weeks ago. Some will view that as an attempt to dilute Ten Hag's influence.

Vindication will only come via an immeasurable improvement next season. United have prioritised a defender, a midfielder and a forward (possibly Jarrad Branthwaite, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee). More incomings are probable but dependent on funds generated from outgoings.

United would want a second centre back, a right back, a forward and potentially another midfielder. United signed a record seven players last summer but two were loanees and Sergio Reguilon's deadline day move was enforced by Luke Shaw's long-term absence. Jonny Evans arrived as a free agent.

Ten Hag has repeatedly stressed the need to enhance the squad depth. With Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho either must-sells or sellable, there would be leverage to target upgrades ahead of a season that includes two extra European matches in the new league phase.