Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs could still come back to the club one day as manager if he leaves this summer, according to his predecessor Steve Round.
Giggs took on the role of assistant when Louis van Gaal was appointed as manager in the summer of 2014, but is reportedly set to end his 29-year association with United following the arrival of Jose Mourinho.
Round, who left the same role at Old Trafford in April 2014 when David Moyes was sacked, believes Giggs needs to leave the club to gain managerial experience elsewhere before hopefully returning to take the top job one day.
"It could be detrimental in the short-term. But, from Ryan's perspective, he obviously wasn't going to get the Manchester United job," Round told Sky Sports.
"They have gone for a world-class coach in Jose Mourinho, who has been there, experienced it and done it. Ryan Giggs hadn't got that experience of management.
"It's now his opportunity to step out of Manchester United and go and be a manager. He can take the helm at another club, build on his managerial experiences, work on his leadership, work on his coaching style, work on his tactics, his techniques, his understanding of managing people.
"If he can be a success, and I really hope he can, then who's to say in five, six, seven, eight years' time, that he can't come back to Manchester United as an experienced manager who can take them forward post-Jose?"
Round believes that Giggs's understanding of United's philosophy will help him in the long-term.
"Ryan Giggs is steeped in the history and tradition. He understands the Manchester United DNA," he said.
"When I was at Manchester United, you could feel that DNA in there, you understood what Manchester United was all about. It wasn't documented but it was there. You knew how Manchester United wanted to play and behave. Ryan is a big part of that."