The 56-year-old was appointed by the Mariners last summer but returned to Old Trafford to assist Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when the Norwegian was brought in as caretaker manager in December following Jose Mourinho’s sacking.
Phelan, who has continued in a part-time role since Solskjaer got the job permanently, is keen on landing the inaugural technical director job at United, according to the Manchester Evening News.
However, his Australian employers remain unsure about what the future holds.
"We are eager to have Mike continue on with the club but at the moment we are at the mercy of waiting to see what the future holds for Mike and United,” a club spokesperson told MEN.
"We are still in constant dialogue with Mike, who has been fantastic, keeping us updated every step of the way. He's fond of the Mariners, we're fond of Mike, so hopefully he can continue his role with the academy.”
The outlet believes that Phelan and Solskjaer are eager to change United’s transfer policy to bring in more players who represent the club’s values, moving away from the approach of recruiting big-name stars.
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