Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester United

Ryan Giggs has today ended his 29-year association with Manchester United, having agreed a severance package to leave the club he joined as a teenager, the BBC reports.

Giggs was assistant manager to Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford last season, but the Dutchman’s dismissal and the consequent appointment of José Mourinho cast doubt over the former winger’s future.

It is believed that Giggs was offered a "reduced role" to remain with the club in a coaching capacity, but Mourinho did not want the Welshman to be part of his management team.

The BBC is now reporting that, having been overlooked as a possible replacement for van Gaal in the United top job, Giggs will pursue management opportunities elsewhere.

The 42-year-old was linked with the Swansea City job last season after the sacking of Gary Monk, and has more recently been linked with the manager’s role at Celtic and Nottingham Forest.

But having temporarily taken over from David Moyes as caretaker boss at United in 2014, and serving for two seasons as van Gaal’s number two, Giggs felt ready to take the reins at Old Trafford.

It was reported in the British press earlier this week that Giggs was stung by the club’s decision not to appoint him as manager, feeling that he had been promised the role at an earlier date, and this has now informed his decision to step away from United.

Giggs made his United playing debut as a teenager in 1991, and went on to become the club’s all-time leading appearance-maker, playing for the Red Devils 963 times, winning the Premier League a record 13 times, as well as four FA Cups and two Champions Leagues, before his retirement in 2014 at the age of 40.

An official statement from the club is expected in the coming days.