The former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is under consideration for a role in the club’s revamped recruitment strategy, with changes expected to come in the summer.

The 35-year-old is out of contract at Stoke City at the end of the season, and would potentially work alongside Mike Phelan, with responsibility for identifying talent and helping to organise the club’s considerable scouting department. The club’s new structure under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is being discussed with those who have played at United in the past given special consideration.

The appointment of Solskjaer and Phelan has seen United return to familiar faces and continued their policy of encouraging former players to take leading roles – following a model pursued with some success by clubs like Ajax and Barcelona. Nicky Butt is the academy director, and Michael Carrick is one of Solskjaer’s assistants. The Under-18s manager Neil Ryan is son of Jim, who worked in a number of roles under Sir Alex Ferguson.

United have a preference for as many key staff roles on the football side to be fulfilled by those who they feel understand the club and its values. For that they are looking at – among external candidates - those who had success in the Ferguson years and are coming to the end of their playing days now.