Leicester boss Ruud Van Nistelrooy believes Bruno Fernandes would have been an asset to Manchester United’s greatest sides.

The Foxes head coach worked with Fernandes as assistant and interim manager while at Old Trafford between July and November last year.

They reunite at the King Power Stadium on Sunday evening with second bottom Leicester now nine points from safety in the Premier League.

Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006 – winning the Premier League in 2003 – before leaving for Real Madrid and feels Portugal midfielder Fernandes, who has 15 goals this season – would fit in even the best Old Trafford teams.

“Yes, no doubt. It’s the quality, it’s the character, it’s the work rate, it’s the discipline. That’s the full package,” he said.

“It was crucial [to United] that he stayed though.”

Yet, Van Nistelrooy’s attention is elsewhere with Wolves‘ 2-1 win at Southampton on Saturday pushing Leicester – who have lost 12 of their last 13 games – closer to the drop.

“Of course, I have other things on my mind. I am working with my team. I am working on performing, on winning games, on preparing the game, also the games after,” he said.

“There are 10 games left. There are 30 points there to get the most out of it. We are still in it. We are still in this fight.

“We want to push. We want to put the teams above us under pressure. Also, the teams we are level with, like Ipswich and Southampton, we are in that battle. That is where my mind goes.

“That is what I want to get the maximum out of myself and the team.”