Legendary former presenter Des Lynam believes that Gary Neville is the only man who can turn around fortunes at Manchester United. 

Lynam, 82, first floated the idea in 2020 when the Red Devils, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, were seven years removed from their last league title under Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Five years on, the situation at Old Trafford has only worsened. The club sacked Erik ten Hag in October and replaced him with the impressive Portuguese boss Ruben Amorim. 

Lynam, who was ever-present on British television screens in the eighties and nineties and helmed the Match of the Day program for 11 years, insisted that Neville has the qualities to return United to their former glories. 

And he urged the former Red Devils captain to put his business ventures and media responsibilities aside to awaken the sleeping giant. 

Gary Neville has been urged to return to management and transform his old club’s fortunes

Legendary former presenter Des Lynam’s first plea to Neville came in 2020 but he has again insisted that the former defender is the only man for the United job

United have not been involved in a title race since their last triumph on 2013 and have fallen into the bottom half this season under Ruben Amorim and previous manager Erik ten Hag 

‘Neville would still be the best man for the job,’ he wrote in The Telegraph. ‘He has Manchester United blood running through his veins. He is deeply hurt by the club’s present predicament.

‘He has a powerful personality and would be a strong presence in the dressing room. Oh and the money men had better watch out, Neville is an astute business man. 

‘My plea to him was over three years ago but as the men with their furrowed brows took their temporary residence in the United dugout, Neville has remained the best candidate, in my mind.’

Lynam appeared to be unfazed by Neville’s only senior management role at Valencia, a disastrous spell which mercifully lasted only four months. 

Neville accepted an offer to coach the LaLiga outfit from owner and close friend Peter Lim but the Sky Sports pundit won just three of his 16 league games. His tenure saw his side beaten 7-0 by Barcelona as he lost 11 of his 28 games in total before a 2-0 home defeat by Celta Vigo proved to be his final match in the dugout. 

The former right back has since revealed that he struggled to manage the game from the touchline and lacked the ability to change things up tactically during clashes. Furthermore, he was unable to cope with going up against top level coaches like Ernesto Valverde and Diego Simeone, who made him feel like he was being ‘beaten up’ mentally.

‘After a couple months into the job at Valencia, I remember looking at myself in the mirror one morning and thinking that I looked ill,’ he said on the Stick to Football podcast last year. 

‘I remember we played three times against Athletic Bilbao, in the Europa League quarter-final and in a league game, and Ernesto Valverde was the coach – he played a different system that I thought he would and then he changed during the game, and I remember thinking that I was nowhere near that level.

Neville endured a disastrous four-month spell in charge of LaLiga side Valencia a decade ago

Results have not improved at Old Trafford since Ruben Amorim arrived at the club in November

Neville’s Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher ridiculed Lynam’s comments on social media

The former Liverpool defender replied to Lynam’s column with a series of laughing emojis

‘I felt massively inferior to him because I struggled to manage and watch the game from pitch level, especially compared to how I see the game in the gantry.

‘You put yourself on the touchline and you’re watching a game where all you can see is legs, and how you think of the game tactically or how managers spot things, I have no idea because I remember thinking that I had no idea what was going on.

‘Seeing Valverde was the first time that I felt that I was miles off and then I coached against Diego Simeone, and on that day, I felt like he was beating me up in every way – with his tactics, his intimidation, and his mannerisms.’

Lynam’s new plea to the 49-year-old caught the attention of his Sky Sports colleague, Jamie Carragher. The former Liverpool defender took to social media and ridiculed the suggestion with a series of laughing emojis. 

Lynam added: ‘It is close to impossible to run the team and the club but if there was anyone who could give it a good go, I think he would have the courage and knowledge to face up to the challenge. 

‘I used a quote when trying to nudge Neville back into football management. It comes from the former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. “Men do not shape destiny, destiny produces the man for the hour.” Outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens.’

Though Neville is unlikely to take the reins at his former club – even if remarkably given the opportunity – he has worked with the Red Devils’ co-owners Ineos on various projects, including the club’s stadium plans. 

Neville has been a vocal critic of the goings on at his old stomping ground and has not been shy in lambasting a succession of United squads who have failed to meet the standards of the club. 

The current crop secured a much-needed win over Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night following their weekend defeat by Brighton. Amorim’s side travel to high-flying Fulham on Sunday and could fall to 15th in the standings if results go against them.