London : Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal left the squad’s hotel on Sunday saying “it’s over” amid reports he was about to be replaced by former Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho.
Dutch boss Van Gaal was greeted by waiting Red Devils fans following United’s FA Cup final win over Crystal Palace at Wembley on Saturday.
When asked by a Sky Sports reporter if he had time to talk, Van Gaal replied: “It’s over.”
Whether that meant he had been sacked by United was not immediately clear. But the 64-year-old former Netherlands manager’s brief remark will fuel speculation he is on his way out of Old Trafford.
No sooner had United lifted the FA Cup then reports in the British media emerged that former Chelsea boss Mourinho would be replacing one-time mentor Van Gaal.
For all that they ended this season with a trophy, United didn’t make a sustained challenge for the Premier League title and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
United fans were also unhappy with the brand of football their team played under van Gaal, which many felt ran counter to the club’s traditional attacking style.
Mourinho saw his second spell as Chelsea manager end with the sack in December after last season’s champions made a miserable start to the defence of their Premier League title.
The Portuguese manager may have won trophies in several European leagues but has never stayed at one club longer than three years and three months he racked up in his first spell with Chelsea.
But former United defender Phil Neville said even if Mourinho was only at Old Trafford for a brief time, he would bring trophies to the club.
“I can’t see him staying too long at Man United, maybe two or three years, that seems to be his shelf life at a football club,” Neville told BBC Radio on Sunday.
