Ferdinand reacts to rumour he's joining Man Utd staff with "crack whip" claim

Ex-Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand has emphatically quashed any talk of a potential return to the club in a coaching capacity when the next permanent managerial appointment has been made.

The Red Devils are still on the prowl for the person who will succeed interim boss Ralf Rangnick at the end of the current campaign, with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax chief Erik ten Hag viewed as the two front-runners for the role. The latter is rumoured to have held discussions with those at the top of the United hierarchy earlier this week.

Reports began to circulate in response that Ferdinand had actually requested to be part of Ten Hag's backroom coaching set-up, but the former England international has been quick to shut down that speculation. In a short video uploaded to the United legend's FIVE YouTube channel, he shut down the claims but did give a small insight into what the dressing room would look like if he were involved.

"I've been online, I'm meant to be applying or putting myself forward for the assistant manager's job at Manchester United - I don't know who gets this mad news but when have you pressed the send button and thought you're not going to get me come back and go 'actually, no I ain't so what you chatting about?

"Whoever has told you that, you need to go back to your source and say 'listen man', but if I did go in there - ooh, the whip would be getting cracked, crack that whip, but nah I'm not, I'm not going in there." The six-time Premier League winner then went on to shed some light on his communication with the club nowadays.

"I've got a good relationship with the club, good relationship with the people that work there, know a lot of the guys that are playing there, know a lot of the guys behind the scenes - you know I love the club man. Manchester United is my heart, I love it. I grew up at West Ham - love West Ham.

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"Played all my years, all my best years especially, at Manchester United and love the club, kids support but the club but listen I ain't coaching at United. You heard it here first yeah, them mad lies - find out who that geezer [the person responsible for the rumours] is man."

United are hoping to make an announcement on who Rangnick's successor will be before the end of what has been a turbulent and underwhelming campaign that started with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm before his dismissal in late November of last year.

The Red Devils currently sit sixth in the Premier League table four points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal having played one game more than the Gunners. Next month's meeting with Mikel Arteta's side at the Emirates could prove pivotal to United's Champions League qualification hopes.