Paul Scholes is intent on securing a coaching role in the future but said there is “nothing to report” on him being linked with the vacant manager’s job at Oldham.

The former Manchester United and England midfielder wants to rediscover a sense of purpose that he feels he may have missed since ending a glittering playing career in 2013.

But the 44-year-old was coy about taking over at the Latics, who sacked Frankie Bunn last month and currently have Pete Wild in caretaker charge.

Speaking at a media event to announce David Beckham had become a shareholder in Salford City, Scholes said: “I’ve made no secret that, one day, I do want to get back into football in some form of coaching.

“If that’s Oldham, I don’t know. There’s nothing to report on that.

“Whether it’s in the next year or two years, at some point I do want to get back into football.

“The media stuff, I’ve half enjoyed doing it, but it’s not the same as being involved with a football club every day.

“When you leave school, for 20 years you’re trying to achieve something all the time and, for this last five or six years, that has gone away. I feel if I get back into football then I’ve got something to achieve again.”

If he is appointed at Oldham, Scholes may have to give up being co-owner of Salford.

An English Football League regulation states: “Except with the prior written consent of the board a person, or any associate of that person, who is interested in a club cannot at the same time be interested in any other football club.”

Scholes added: “I’m not too clear what the rules are but I’m sure it’s something that will have to be looked into.”