Manchester United 'hold talks' with José Mourinho about replacing Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford

Former Chelsea manager José Mourinho has reportedly held talks with Manchester United about becoming their next manager. The 53-year-old Portuguese is said to be increasingly hopeful of succeeding Louis van Gaal as United's boss.

Although no agreement has been reached and the Premier League club have refused to comment on the speculation, the BBC has claimed negotiations have begun about Mourinho taking charge of the club next season.

Van Gaal, 64, still has one year remaining on his three-year deal at Old Trafford, but he is set to leave the club at the end of the current campaign, according to reports. Mourinho – who left Chelsea in December – is said to be excited by the prospect of becoming the United manager.

Mourinho was previously linked to the United job in 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson decided to retire. However, he instead opted to join Chelsea and speaking at the time, he insisted he was perfectly happy with his decision. "I would have turned down every job in the world – the Manchester United job, every one – for Chelsea," Mourinho said of his reported interest in the United job.

Last month, meanwhile, it was claimed Mourinho had written a six-page letter to the United hierarchy to highlight his suitability for the role. Those reports, though, were subsequently dismissed as being "absurd" by his agent Jorge Mendes.