Swansea City are keen to assess Ryan Giggs’s managerial intentions before making a final decision on the identity of Garry Monk’s successor at the Liberty Stadium, The Independent can reveal.

Giggs, currently acting as Louis van Gaal’s assistant manager at Manchester United, has made no secret of his desire to pursue a career in management. The 42-year-old is widely regarded as one of the leading candidates to succeed Van Gaal at Old Trafford when the Dutchman’s contract expires at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

But Swansea are determined to investigate every possible option, and the Welsh club are understood to be ready to speak to Giggs about replacing Monk in the event that the former Wales international is prepared to consider leaving United to begin his managerial career.

Having seen Brendan Rodgers reject the opportunity to return to South Wales to take charge of the club he left in 2012 in order to take charge of Liverpool, Swansea are considering a wide range of candidates to succeed Monk.

The club’s chairman, Huw Jenkins, is open-minded about potential appointments, but the prospect of luring Giggs to Swansea would be regarded as a major coup and would also fit the Jenkins blueprint of hiring emerging coaches who favour attacking football.

Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Show all 14 1 /14 Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg David De Gea - 7 out of 10 Will feel he could have done more to keep out Naldo's volley but, aside from one moment when he nearly got caught out following his decision to rush out and deal with a long ball, the goalkeeper showed why he is one of the best around with several superb saves. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Guillermo Varela - 5 out of 10 Making his first start for United would have been a daunting task for anyone, but Varela did well considering the magnitude of the game. He wasn't afraid to come out and deal with danger - although he should have done better for Wolfsburg's opener after allowing Naldo to get in front of him and score. 2015 Getty Images Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Chris Smalling - 4 out of 10 Endured a disappointing night after first failing to get back in time to deal with Naldo ahead of the opener and then not tracking the run of Draxler in the build-up to the second. 2015 Getty Images Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Daley Blind - 5 out of 10 Gave away the free kick from which Wolfsburg equalised and then created the space for Draxler to run into for Wolfsburg's second after being caught ball watching. Made some key clearances but not the best of nights for the Netherlands international and his defensive partner Smalling. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Matteo Darmian - 4 out of 10 Saw his night cut short due to injury but not before getting a yellow card and failing to control Draxler, who ran riot throughout the game. 2015 Getty Images Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Marouane Fellaini - 5 out of 10 Had a few chances to score for United early on, which he will feel he should have converted, but the midfielder did do well to provide a threat up front. He played a key role in Guilavogui's own goal, but it wasn't enough on the night. 2015 Manchester United FC Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Bastian Schweinsteiger - 4 out of 10 Allowed Draxler to get past him all too easily for Wolfsburg's second and then gave away the ball in midfield from which the winger nearly scored. Hauled off in the 68th minute. 2015 Getty Images Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Jesse Lingard - 6 out of 10 Was unfortunate to have been denied the equaliser by the offside flag, but did well to be a bigger threat than Depay on the right flank. Also did well for not forgetting to track back and carry out his defensive duties. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Juan Mata - 6 out of 10 Got the assist for Martial's goal with his superb through ball, but his run then resulted in Lingard's goal being given as offside. Was taken off and replaced by Powell after displaying some sloppy passing and failing to finish off his chance. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Memphis Depay - 5 out of 10 Had a quiet first half, but came out of the break in a more determined mood - nearly creating a goalscoring chance for Martial and then seeing his volley saved. Disappointingly, fired his late free-kick wide. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg Anthony Martial - 6 out of 10 Opened the scoring with a well-taken goal - remaining calm and composed despite his drought of late - but then faded. 2015 Getty Images Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg SUB: Cameron Borthwick-Jackson - 5 out of 10 Came on for the injured Darmian and did well considering the importance of the game and the makeshift nature of the defence. GETTY IMAGES Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg SUB: Michael Carrick - 4 out of 10 Was brought on in the second half, but failed to add more control to United's midfield and then didn't do enough to stop Naldo from making it 3-1. Manchester United player ratings vs Wolfsburg SUB: Nick Powell - 5 out of 10 Didn't have a big enough impact once being brought on for Mata in the second period.

Cardiff-born Giggs, who won 63 caps for Wales, moved into coaching as player-coach under David Moyes following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement as manager in May 2013. Following Moyes’s dismissal in April 2014, Giggs took charge of United as caretaker manager for four games before being appointed as assistant to Van Gaal, with the expectation that he would be groomed to take charge on a permanent basis at the end of the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager’s reign.

However, with Van Gaal entering the final 18 months of his United contract, there remains uncertainty over the club’s intentions, with former Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitting to The Independent this week that he would be keen to take charge at Old Trafford following Van Gaal’s departure.

With his former United team-mate Gary Neville now moving into management with Valencia, who lost to Lyons in his first game in charge in the Champions League on Wednesday night, Giggs’s lack of management experience could ultimately see him miss out on the top job at Old Trafford – a realisation which Swansea could look to exploit if Giggs fails to receive assurances from the United hierarchy that he is regarded as a serious contender to manage the club.

Swansea are unlikely to make an appointment before this weekend’s Premier League fixture against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

The Wales manager, Chris Coleman, has joined Rodgers in ruling himself out of the running. Avram Grant, the former Chelsea and West Ham manager, is the latest possible candidate to emerge, but Jenkins is believed to be keen to recruit a rising, young coach.