Jose Mourinho is perfect candidate to manage Manchester United according to Graeme Souness

Former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness thinks Jose Mourinho is the perfect fit to replace Louis van Gaal at Manchester United. The 62-year-old pundit thinks Mourinho's style and reputation will help United recapture their former glories, but he is not convinced the Old Trafford board want to appoint him.

Souness pointed out that Van Gaal could easily have been sacked at various points throughout a turbulent season, yet the United hierarchy have resisted the temptation to do so. The Scot thinks the Reds would have already appointed Mourinho if they saw him as their preferred candidate to replace Van Gaal.

"[Mourinho] is in the elite group of managers that could do that job, where the crowd would be happy with him being there," he told Sky Sports about the rumours linking Mourinho to the United job. "I just think that they've had such a miserable time during the season, that if they were wanting Jose I think they would have gone for him before now."

Souness admitted that Mourinho has all the right credentials to succeed Van Gaal as United's next boss - but he does not envisage it happening this summer, which has been previously speculated.

"He's got the qualifications," Souness said of the United links. "He's the man if you are looking for someone to come in, stir the pot, get everyone at it and win trophies. He's your man. But I just feel if it was going to happen, it would have happened before now."