Mario Gotze looks set for a Bundesliga second coming after being given permission to miss PSV's first training session under new boss Ruud van Nistelrooy. 

The 30-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich attacker has been strongly linked with a move to Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Serie A champions Milan were also recently credited with an interest in Gotze, but reports in Germany on Monday indicated a move to Frankfurt was close to completion. 

Sport1 said Gotze, who joined PSV in 2020 and has two years left on his contract, has a clause allowing him to leave for €4million and that an agreement with Eintracht has been broadly agreed. 

PSV confirmed Gotze's absence from training, saying that he had been "given the space... to complete a transfer to another club". 

Gotze, capped 63 times by Germany, was the 2014 World Cup final match-winner, scoring the only goal of the game against Argentina in extra time. 

He scored 12 goals and added 11 assists across all competitions for PSV in the 2021-22 season, playing in 52 games. 

Van Nistelrooy, the former PSV, Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, looks like having to plan without the experienced Gotze, and spoke on Monday of wanting to give opportunities to the club's best young players. 

The 45-year-old was announced as PSV's incoming boss in March, signing a three-year contract. 

Fred Rutten has revealed he rejected the chance to become Erik ten Haag's assistant manager at Manchester United.

Ten Hag was last month confirmed as the successor to interim boss Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford and will officially take charge in the coming weeks.

The current Ajax head coach is assembling his backroom team, but he was unable to persuade Rutten to join him at United.

Rutten will instead join Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV – one of several former clubs.

"Erik ten Hag has asked me to be his assistant at Manchester United," Rotten said, as quoted by De Telegraaf. "I said no.

"Everyone makes his own choices in life. I have a family, I have grandchildren that I want to see. This type of project, I felt uncomfortable with it."

Rutten, who employed Ten Hag as his assistant at both Twente and PSV, added: "At Manchester United you get on a train and you can't get off it. I want to feel comfortable in something you step into. That is the case with PSV. 

"It's nice when you have grandchildren, who you see every now and then and who can play ball with."

Former United striker Robin van Persie, ex-Red Devils coach Steve McClaren and Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag are other reported candidates to work as Ten Haag's right-hand man.

Ruud van Nistelrooy will succeed Roger Schmidt as PSV boss from the start of next season, the Eredivisie heavyweights have announced.

The 45-year-old has previously spent time coaching PSV's Under-19s and their reserves, while also gaining further experience working as a first-team assistant coach.

Van Nistelrooy was part of the Netherlands' coaching set-up between 2014 and 2016 and again alongside Frank de Boer at Euro 2020.

He will now take on his first senior managerial role with PSV, whom he represented during a playing career that also saw him star for Manchester United and Real Madrid.

PSV, who announced last month that Schmidt will not be signing a new deal after two full seasons in charge, confirmed the news on their official website on Wednesday.

Van Nistelrooy, under contract at Philips Stadion until 2025, said he is fulfilling a life-long ambition of his to manage the 24-time Dutch champions.

"It has always been my dream to be head coach at PSV," he said. "I've worked intensively with Toon Gerbrands, PSV's current general manager, the past few seasons. 

"I was convinced I could pursue a professional coaching career and originally thought I needed one more year to gain experience. 

"But sometimes things do go their way and you find out that life is not completely manageable. This is the right moment to take the next step.

"The appointment of Marcel Brands as PSV's general manager and the conversation we've had were the final push I needed to make a conscious choice and take this step. 

"PSV are ready to embark on a new path this summer and I am ready to play my part. 

"Talks with the board of directors have reinforced the idea that we are ambitious and look to create something special in the long term. I am excited for the task in hand at PSV."

Van Nistelrooy scored 35 goals in 70 games for the Netherlands and 62 goals in the 67 matches for PSV between 1998 and 2001.

He went on to spend five years with United and four years at Madrid, before concluding his playing career with short stints at Hamburg and Malaga.

After embarking on a coaching career in 2014, PSV director John de Jong believes Van Nistelrooy is ready to make the step into senior management.

"All of us, including Marcel Brands, who will be PSV's new general manager this summer, have great confidence in his abilities," De Jong said. 

"He is a strong, inspirational leader and his commitment and work ethic will be second to none. 

"Van Nistelrooy has gained valuable experience within the PSV organisation but also with the national team and we are highly confident he is ready for his first senior role."

PSV, who are two points behind Ajax with seven Eredivisie games to go, also confirmed they intend to add to Van Nistelrooy's coaching staff in the coming months.

Franck Kessie will not stay in Serie A, but instead will be forming part of Xavi's rebuild at Barcelona.

After a long contract saga at Milan, the Ivorian midfielder will reportedly leave the Serie A title contenders at the end of the season on a free transfer.

The 25-year-old will be the last player to leave from Milan's notorious splurge of 2017, which saw the club nearly break the €200million mark on over 10 players.

TOP STORY – KESSIE SET FOR BARCELONA MOVE 

Those who have followed Franck Kessie's contract situation with Milan will be aware a €6.5million salary was his reported benchmark. Milan have been reticent to pay that figure gross, but Barcelona are said to be willing to pay it net.

Protracted contract renegotiations between Kessie and Milan have failed to come to a resolution, and while  Ismael Bennacer and Sandro Tonali become more central to Stefano Pioli's plans, letting Kessie go has seen increased scope.

According to the Guardian, Kessie will leave the Rossoneri at the end of the season on a Bosman and join Barcelona with a contract that will last until 2026.

ROUND-UP

- According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus are preparing a substantial package to lure 29-year-old Mohamed Salah away from Liverpool.

- Having started on the bench with Karim Benzema injured in El Clasico, Luka Jovic is not considered as a requirement going forward at Real Madrid and will leave the club in the summer, as reported by Marca.

- Brazilian winger Raphinha has rejected Leeds United's first approach over a new contract, per UOL.

- Former Manchester United and Netherlands striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is tipped as the frontrunner to take over as coach at another former club of his, PSV, according to the Mirror.