Louis Van Gaal wants Roy Keane to become his assistant if he takes over at Manchester United according to reports.

The Dutchman is the favourite to replace David Moyes full-time and is said to be an admirer of Keane's attitude.

However a major stumbling block in any pursuit for the former Manchester United captain is the fact that he is currently the assistant to Ireland manager Martin O'Neill and signed a two-year contract with the FAI which takes him through the Euro 2016 campaign.

Today, O'Neill said that he had no knowledge of reports linking Keane to a role at United and insisted that he had nothing to say about the change of management at Old Trafford.

Keane has been typically forthright in his criticism of Man United's players in the wake of Moyes' sacking.

Keane was in the Ireland team which famously stopped Van Gaal's star-studded Holland side from qualifying the 2002 World Cup and he also played for Man United against Van Gaal's Barcelona en-route to the 1999 Champions League final.