United approach Papin to be Ferguson's aide

Paris - Manchester United have approached former European Footballer of the Year Jean-Pierre Papin to become assistant coach to Alex Ferguson, the respected French sports daily l'Equipe said on Tuesday.

The newspaper said ex-France international Papin, who ended his playing career in 1998 and recently passed French coaching exams, was among four men Ferguson had approached to become his aide next season.

"Nothing will happen before the summer," l'Equipe quoted a Manchester United spokesman as saying.

"But the friendship between Sir Alex and Jean-Pierre is real," the spokesman added.

L'Equipe said Ferguson had wanted Papin to link up with fellow-Frenchman Eric Cantona at Manchester United during their playing days. The pairing had already been successful for France at an international level and for one season at Olympique Marseille.

But Ferguson never managed to hire Papin, the 1991 European Footballer of the Year, who played for Marseille, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Girondins Bordeaux before retiring.

L'Equipe cited Manchester United reserve coach Brian McClair, Preston manager David Moyes and Ferguson's former assistant Steve McClaren, now with Middlesbrough, as the other men approached for the assistant coach's job, although McClaren has already said he had no plans to leave Middlesbrough and return to Old Trafford.

Preston have also said they wanted Moyes to stay with them and did not want Manchester United to approach him for the job.

Papin has two friends at Manchester United - defender Laurent Blanc, with whom he played for France, and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who joined Marseille the year he left. - Reuters