Pleat, who has managed Tottenham, Luton and Sheffield Wednesday among others and is currently a consultant to Alain Perrin at Portsmouth, believes United’s board should look to someone with more “miles” on the clock.

“They will certainly need an experienced guy sitting in the hotseat at Manchester,” Pleat told BBC Radio Five Live.

“It’s not for me to say from this distance, but I can think of an Irishman and a Scotsman – Martin O’Neill or someone like David Moyes would be excellent choices.

“They have done their miles, they have proved themselves.”

Pleat, brought in at Pompey to help Perrin get acquainted with the English game, believes Keane would need the guiding hand of someone with experience alongside him if he was chosen to replace Ferguson.

“It’s possible they could have people in the background. All young managers, if they have any sense, pick up the phone to more experienced people for advice from time to time.

“But when you’re in the hotseat yourself you’ve got to make the decisions. It’s completely different to being coach or assistant manager – you’re the one the bullets are being fired at.”

Ferguson told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I will carry on at United next season and I have a contract to do that.

“But when I do move on I would like to see Roy Keane taking over. He is a leader on the pitch and he could be that kind of leader sitting on the Manchester United bench, too.”