Wayne Rooney believes Ryan Giggs has the credentials required to become the next Manchester United manager.
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Louis van Gaal is expected to be appointed as the successor to the sacked David Moyes and while United have insisted no deal has been agreed, they have not denied talks have taken place with the Netherlands manager.
Sources at Old Trafford have told ESPN FC that United have started discussing terms and it now seems increasingly likely he will get the job.
However, Giggs is in interim charge at Old Trafford and won his first game at the helm, 4-0 against Norwich, on Saturday.
Rooney struck twice, including the first goal of Giggs’ brief reign, and believes the 40-year-old has the qualities to equip him to take the job on the permanent basis.
"That's down to the board, obviously,” Rooney told Sky Sports. “I think Giggsy has got all of the credentials to be a manager but that's down to the board."
Rooney has shared a dressing room with Giggs since 2004 and said it was odd to play for the veteran winger.
"It's strange -- I've played with him for the last 10 years,” he added. “Giggsy's come in and we all know Giggsy is a really experienced player.
"He's been part of the coaching staff for the season. He's built to be a manager, as a team we can see that. We can see that by how he's handled himself since he took over so it was fantastic to go out there and get the win for him."
However, United are set to opt for a more experienced manager, and 62-year-old Van Gaal -- who will be available after the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign -- has previously managed Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Newspapers including the Mail on Sunday and Sunday Mirror report that Giggs could become his assistant in a new-look managerial team.