Roy Keane could've landed back at Manchester United if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been named as interim boss, with the Irishman lined up as his assistant

Roy Keane could've secured a return to Manchester United had they overlooked Michael Carrick at the start of the year.

Carrick was up against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the Old Trafford hierarchy looked to fill the void left by Ruben Amorim's departure in January. Carrick had worked under Solskjaer during his stint at the club.

And it was the ex-Middlesbrough boss who got the nod, but had Solskjaer been given the gig then he would've looked to bring in Keane as his assistant, according to The Sun.

During Solskjaer's previous spell in charge of United, he had Mike Phelan his assistant, but remained close with Keane and has made no secret of his admiration for him and his opinions. He previously said: “I keep in touch with Roy and have been at his house for a cup of tea. I always listen to Roy and his opinions. I value them very highly. I know Roy did an interview saying there are many people that claim to be his friends."

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Keane managed Sunderland and Ipswich but has also spent time as a No.2, working underneath Martin O’Neill at Ireland and Nottingham Forest and with Paul Lambert at Aston Villa.

The Irishman won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League in a 12-year spell at Old Trafford, but endured a high-profile exit in late 2005 following a clash with Sir Alex Ferguson. Keane has previously commented that the Scot's presence at the club may hamper any return.

Carrick ultimately won the race to lead United last term and his stunning interim spell saw him land the job on a permanent basis, keeping ex-England coach Steve Holland as his main lieutenant.

Keane had been critical of Carrick's appointment when it first happened and said on the Stick To Football podcast: "His wife can always come in [if Carrick doesn't do well], cause she's got a bit of a big mouth sometimes. She's probably doing the team talk."

The comment stemmed from a feud in 2014, when Keane criticised Carrick's performance in a Champions League defeat to Olympiacos.

Carrick's wife Lisa Roughhead posted on Twitter: "Roy Keane what a ****, says anything to provoke a reaction." She later deleted the tweet and posted an apology.