Already in the FA Cup final, recent results have given Manchester United and Louis van Gaal a real chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. But would all that save the Dutchman's job? The latest reports suggest it might have been.
Despite the FA Cup run and emergence of some extremely talented youth products LvG finds himself under lots of pressure at Old Trafford because of the way his team has played for most of the season with a recent improvement in performances largely ignored due to how atrocious they were earlier in the season.
Whilst Van Gaal has been getting angrier and angrier over questions about his future the media have been doing the hokey-cokey with Jose Mourinho and the manager's job at Old Trafford, one minute in the next out again.
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Fresh reports say that Ed Woodward, in the past fortnight, has actually offered the Special One the job at United, but for 2017. Meaning that LvG would see out his contract before Mourinho gets the job for the 2017/18 season.
The former Chelsea boss has never hidden the fact he wants the top job at Old Trafford, apart from when he didn't get it following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement when he claimed that the Chelsea job was the only one that interested him, and he also has let it be known that after six months out of work he wants to get back into management at the top level in the summer.
Part of the proposal from Woodward, which would allow Van Gaal to see out his contract and see the United chief executive not have to admit how poor the appointment of the Dutchman was, could have meant Mourinho head to China for a year of ridiculous money and sweet and sour chicken on tap before heading back to the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly the two time Champions League winner has no interest in waiting till 2017 and still hopes to be in charge of the Red Devils for next season. His decision to turn down the proposal puts the pressure back onto the much maligned Woodward to make a decision.
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According to the report Mourinho still believes he is getting closer to the job he covets despite the strange proposal from United's "transfer guru." Of course should United fail to make it into the top four this season, and ensure a Champions League place for next season, then it might be far easier to sack former Bayern boss LvG.
Do you think Mourinho will be at Old Trafford next season?
(Via: The Sun)
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, Football, Manchester United