Louis van Gaal is set to survive at Manchester United until the summer after Jose Mourinho suggested that he would rather not take a job in the middle of the season.
The sacked Chelsea boss has been heavily tipped to replace Van Gaal at Old Trafford, with Inter Milan director Bedy Moratti indicating that a deal is already in place.
Last week’s Europa League defeat to FC Midtjylland increased the pressure further on Van Gaal and United officials are understood to be contemplating his position.
But, should they want to wait for Mourinho, Van Gaal is likely safe for the remainder of the campaign as the Portuguese would prefer to have a fresh start at his next club.
Mourinho was speaking to students at an event in Singapore as part of Valencia chairman Peter Lim’s Olympic scholarship when he was quizzed over his managerial future.
“I always feel that it’s better to wait, not to rush, better to be calm, to wait for the right moment, the right move,” he is quoted by The Guardian as saying. “I feel that starting the next season with a new club and project is probably the best thing for me.
“I’m travelling, enjoying my family, enjoying my friends and my life, and I wait to see what happens. The reality is I like football so much, I miss football, and when I have the chance to be back I will come back.
“I read so many different things. One day it says I go to China, another day it says I go to Italy, and people say I’m back to Inter Milan. I’m here – probably, you are saying I will to the Singapore national team. But the reality is I have no job, and at the moment I’m happy not to have a job.”
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