Manchester United sack manager Louis van Gaal as Jose Mourinho looms

Manchester United sack manager Louis van Gaal as Jose Mourinho looms

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Manchester United have parted ways with Dutch manager Louis van Gaal a year shy of completing his three-year contract with the club.

Reports suggest that former Chelsea, Inter Milan, Barcelona and FC Porto boss Jose Mourinho will be appointed tomorrow, with United chiefs meeting with the Portuguese manager’s representatives to discuss terms.

Van Gaal’s Dutch coaching staff – including United assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg and goalkeeper coach Frans Hoek have also left the club in what looms as a complete overhaul of the coaching set-up.

The Dutchman has been made to pay the price for failing to improve in his second campaign in charge, despite leading the squad to its first FA Cup triumph since 2004. The emergence of youth talent Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford is another positive to come from his reign, but these were mere glimpses as the 20-time champions finished outside the top four, a feat that Van Gaal all but assured.

United ranked first in the Premier League for passes played backwards (3,107), 18th in chances created, 15th in shots on target, and 16th for total shots.

The signing of Anthony Martial provided the squad with a consistent threat while other stars struggled to flourish under the tutelage Van Gaal’s strict philosophy, with 17 goals and 12 assists since signing for £58.8m pounds from AS Monaco.

Another bright spark in United’s season was the sparkling form of Spanish goalkeeper, David De Gea, who kept 15 clean sheets throughout.

The 64-year-old has been earmarked for a possible job as United’s director of football, a claim that the club has since rejected, while it was reported last year that his three-year spell at the club would be his last. Van Gaal said that it was a promise made to his wife.

“I will give it up [in 2017],” the United manager told reporters at the time. “I promised that to my wife. We have not many years together any more. That is the reason.”

It is unclear whether Van Gaal will ply his trade elsewhere in the season ahead.

 

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