Jose Mourinho to Manchester United: Ed Woodward has decision to make after PSG 'open talks' with manager

Mourinho remains available after leaving Chelsea in December but United risk seeing the manager move to France if they stick with Louis van Gaal

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 17 May 2016 07:22 BST
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Jose Mourinho is reported to be in talks about replacing Laurent Blanc at PSG
Jose Mourinho is reported to be in talks about replacing Laurent Blanc at PSG (Getty)

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Jose Mourinho has opened talks with French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain over the possibility of replacing current manager Laurent Blanc, with Manchester United risking to possibility of missing out on the Portuguese unless they make a decision over the future of Louis van Gaal.

Mourinho has made no secret of his desire to take the top job at Old Trafford, but United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is determined to stick by Van Gaal and allow him to see out the final year of his contract next season.

With Mourinho already admitting that he will be in a new job for the 2016/17 season, it would appear that United are running out of time to appoint the former Chelsea manager. United missed out on the top four and subsequently have not qualified for next season’s Champions League, although they can still secure silverware this season when they face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Mark Ogden - Jose Mourinho 'perfect' for Man Utd

United, who play their final Premier League match against Bournemouth on Tuesday night in a rescheduled fixture from Sunday after a fake training bomb left at Old Trafford triggered a stadium evacuation, have opposed to appointment of Mourinho in the past and he missed out on the job to David Moyes in 2013 when Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

According to the Daily Mail, Mourinho’s patience is wearing thin and he has opened talks with PSG over a move to the club for the start of next season. Despite PSG retaining the Ligue 1 crown having won it for the past four season’s Blanc is under pressure to convert the club’s domestic success onto the European stage, with PSG crashing out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals this season to Manchester City.

It’s added that Mourinho is keen to secure a deal by the end of next week, but whether that will be with PSG or United depends on United’s decision over Van Gaal’s future.

Louis van Gaal faces an uncertain future at Manchester United
Louis van Gaal faces an uncertain future at Manchester United (Getty)
Van Gaal was pictured leaving Old Trafford after Sunday's fake bomb scare
Van Gaal was pictured leaving Old Trafford after Sunday's fake bomb scare (Getty)

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi handed Blanc a contract extension earlier this year, but his future remains in doubt – especially with Mourinho’s availability putting the Parisian club into a decision of their own.

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