Cruyff playing for United against Fenerbahce. Inset bottom, with his father Johan at Barcelona and, inset top, with, left to right, Johnsen, Solskjaer, Ferguson, Poborsky and Van der Gouw

It’s late in the evening, and Jordi Cruyff is sitting in a hotel on Deansgate, in Manchester, drinking tea and talking about a club’s DNA. He reflects on why his former team-mate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is such a good fit for Manchester United, and also, movingly, on his own DNA and the legacy of his father, the late, great Johan.

It’s a privilege and education to listen in. Now 44, Cruyff has experienced so much, travelled so widely, and learnt so much playing under his father at Barcelona and on 57 occasions for Sir Alex Ferguson at United, whom he joined in 1996 at the same time as Solskjaer. He played for Espanyol with Mauricio Pochettino, the other leading contender for the full-time vacancy at