By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The former FC Porto and Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy is leaving Premier League side Manchester United when his contract expires end of this month.
McCarthy first joined United, the team he supported growing up, in July 2022, after impressing the then-newly-appointed Erik Ten Hag.
The coach, who has been working with the forwards at Old Trafford, sees his contract come to an end following two seasons at the club.
McCarthy wishes to get back into the dugout as a manager, according to The Athletic.
“Benni McCarthy will leave his position as a first-team coach when his two-year contract expires at the end of this month.”
During McCarthy’s time with the Red Devils, the club won two trophies and reached three finals. In 2022/23 United won the EFL Cup, and after ending up as runners-up in the FA Cup that season, they won it in the 2023/24 campaign.
Thanks you benni ?❤️? pic.twitter.com/wIz7cMJ6G4
— Rasmus Hoejlund (@RasmusHojlund02) June 29, 2024
McCarthy was praised for helping Marcus Rashford to have his best-ever season in 2022-23, during which he scored 30 goals in all competitions.
Last season was not so strong as United only managed 57 Premier League goals – though that is a fairly typical total in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era and not their lowest.
United are aiming to hire two coaches to cover for the departures of McCarthy and Eric Ramsay.
They wish to bring in Rene Hake, 52, as well as Ruud Van Nistelrooy as senior coaches in a move that will raise questions over the futures of Ten Hag’s current assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren.