Manchester United will face some turbulent times at the end of the season as the club will be forced to either stick with the under-performing current manager Louis van Gaal or try to sign the very special, very interested Jose Mourinho.
The Jose Mourinho to Manchester United saga has dominated headlines since the Portuguese left Chelsea last November. Mourinho is believed to be very keen on managing Manchester United, and had wanted to take over as soon as Sir Alex Ferguson left but was not considered because many influential figures at the club felt he wasn’t a good fit.
It was the same story this time around too – three seasons after Sir Alex left and Manchester United still haven’t found the right man to manage the club. The disastrous season of Moyes was followed up by a relatively decent first season under the “Iron Tulip” Louis van Gaal, but the Red Devils disastrous form this season has left many hoping that a new leader takes charge.
The option of Jose Mourinho has been looming large over the heads of Manchester United officials, and he had reportedly even signed a pre-contract agreement with the club in March to take over at the end of the current season. However, it seems there is yet another twist in the tale. According to Sports journalist Duncan Castles, Manchester United now want to see out Louis van Gaal’s contract at the club, which ends in 2017, and have asked Jose Mourinho to wait for a year if he wants the job.
Manchester United have asked Jose Mourinho to replace Van Gaal as manager. In the summer of 2017. #MUFC #CFC #RMCF pic.twitter.com/Ia1DTjEdCg
— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) May 4, 2016
However, Castles added that this was a deal that Mourinho was not very interested in being a part of.
Unsurprisingly, Mourinho is not interested in waiting an additional year to return to management.
— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) May 4, 2016
Manchester United still believe in Louis van Gaal
The Red Devils are currently fifth in the Premier League table, with their chances of securing Champions League football next season slowly vanishing. They are still in the running for the FA Cup though and face Crystal Palace in the final that could help Van Gaal win his first major trophy since arriving at Old Trafford.
Despite his follies and the underwhelming season they’ve had, here are three reasons why the Red Devils could stick with van Gaal.
1. Emphasis on youth development
The biggest reason why Manchester United would be tempted to hold on to Van Gaal is the number of young players he has brought into the first team this season. On the other hand, one of the biggest criticisms against Mourinho is the fact that he isn’t known for promoting academy products and youth team members.
The likes of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have all caught the eye under Van Gaal, and the Dutchman has also brought in Anthony Martial and Memphis Depay to the club.
2. Injury problems have plagued Man United’s season
Manchester United were on top of the Premier League table for a brief period in September, but then a spate of injuries to vital players dislodged them from there and brought them crashing down from the top and out of the Champions League.
At one point of the season, there were 14 Manchester United first team players who were on the injured list – a staggering number in any circumstances. It could be argued that Louis van Gaal did the best he could under some bad circumstances, as he himself has stated several times, and that the club could start seeing better results with a fully fit squad.
3. The three year curse of Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho may have won league titles in four different countries and two UEFA Champions League medals, but there is a curse that hangs over the Special One. Mourinho has never managed to stay at a club for more than three years. Two years at Porto, Internazionale and most recently Chelsea, came on either side of two three year stints at Chelsea and Real Madrid.
The Special One’s nomadic ways could be another factor Manchester United are considering. The club are looking for someone to step into the shoes of a legendary manager who stayed with them for 26 years, and not a stopgap solution that Mourinho could well turn out to be.