JOSE Mourinho is on the verge of becoming Manchester United's next manager following reports that he has held discussions with the club's representatives in the past fortnight.
It is believed that Mourinho has spurned two approaches from Real Madrid and is looking increasingly likely to succeed Louis van Gaal in the summer.
The club is yet to comment but the sacked Chelsea manager is the bookies' favourite to take the reins at United.
His appointment would see him renew enmities with Pep Guardiola, who is leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season to join Manchester City.
Reports that Mourinho has already accepted an offer are understood to be untrue and it is believed that Manchester United vice-chairman Ed Woodward wants Louis van Gaal to stay until the summer.
Van Gaal's contract expires in 2016-7 but it has been widely anticipated that his second year in charge at Old Trafford will be his last after overseeing an uninspiring run of results.
Mourinho, who learnt his trade under Van Gaal at Barcelona during the Dutchman's time in charge during the late nineties, is believed to have been devastated when David Moyes was chosen to succeed Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013.