Ally McCoist believes Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone are the best candidates to become next Manchester United manager.

The Red Devils are stepping up their pursuit of a new permanent boss to replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick this summer.

Ten Hag has won two Eredivisie titles with Ajax

It is understood Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is the current frontrunner, having held positive talks with United, while Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino remains heavily linked to Old Trafford.

On Monday, United legend Rio Ferdinand talked up the prospect of Ten Hag or Pochettino in the Red Devils hot seat.

Speaking on talkSPORT's White and Jordan show, the iconic defender said: "None of us have got an answer where we're all going, 'Oh, that's the definite person'.

"I think there would be shouts for people like [Mauricio] Pochettino, I'm sure, obviously Ten Hag. They're the two frontrunners people are talking about."

Ten Hag has recently been warned by Netherlands and ex-United boss Louis van Gaal to avoid United - because they're a 'commercial' club.

Quoted by Voetbal International, Van Gaal said: "Ten Hag is a great coach, and that is always good for Manchester United.

Pochettino's future at PSG is in doubt following their Champions League exit in the Round of 16

"But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it's a difficult choice for a coach.

"He'd better go to a football club.

"I'm not going to advise him, he'll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club."

And in that context, Rangers legend McCoist suggests ex-Real Madrid manager Zidane or current Atletico Madrid boss Simeone could provide a better fit.

Zidane, who guided Real Madrid to four Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga titles across separate spells, has been out of work since leaving the Bernabeu last summer.

There are suggestions the France legend is waiting for the PSG job to become available, while fierce disciplinarian Simeone may seek a fresh challenge after more than a decade in charge of Atletico.

Zidane delivered success in one of football's most high-pressure jobs

Simeone's style is not always attractive but the Argentine gets full commitment from his players

McCoist said: "I know people keep saying Zidane doesn't speak English and he doesn't want to live here but, Simeone's another one, those two appeal to me more than most.

"Poch, I'm not sure. He did a good job at Tottenham and he's done an OK job at PSG.

"Ten Hag, to be brutally honest, I don't know enough about him.

"But the one thing Rio did get spot on: they have to get it right moving forward. As many caretaker managers as full time managers since Sir Alex is not the answer.

"There's a little bit of me looking at them over the last few years thinking, 'They don't know where they're going, there's no direction, they're just plodding on through'.

"There's got to be a massive overhaul at the end of the season - staff and management - because they can't continue the way they're going."