Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho set to sign new deal at Old Trafford

Jose Mourinho is set to extend his contract at Manchester United beyond 2019, IBTimes UK understands.

The Portuguese tactician joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2016, replacing Louis van Gaal after the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager was relieved from his duties at Old Trafford just days after he helped United win the FA Cup.

Mourinho signed a three-year deal with the 20-time champions of England, with an option to stay at the club at least until 2020. Last October, the 54-year-old was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain as he approached the mid-way point in the deal.

In November 2017, IBTimes UK revealed Mourinho has no plans to leave United before his contract runs down in 2019. We also confirmed there was no progress in the former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager's contract talks.

Things have progressed since then and IBTimes UK revealed on 5 January that Jorge Mendes has held extensive talks with the club's hierarchy over a possibility of extending his client's contract.

Mourinho is now close to reaching an agreement with his current employers, which will then see him extend his stay at United beyond the end of the next season. He won the EFL Cup and the Europa League in his debut season and returned the club to the Champions League.

The English outfit are happy with their manager's progress, both on and off the pitch despite them trailing Premier League champions elect Manchester City by 12 points in the table after 23 matches.

Mourinho earlier this season expressed a desire to remain in the north west and has left the club's owners and the board to sort out his future.

"It depends on what you want to know and what you want to speak about. If you want to speak about some news, I say garbage! I don't find a better word to define the talk," Mourinho explained.

"If you want to ask me directly, which I suppose you want, if I see myself next season in Manchester United, I say I see myself [here] and, as I told you when I arrived, I am going to leave when the club wants me to leave because I have no intention to leave at all.

"My intention is to stay and to work and to improve and to bring the club to where the club belongs. I want to stay. I don't see any reason not to stay.

"So, yes, I still have a contract. In fact, I am in the middle of my contract, I'm not in the last couple of months. My desire is to stay. It's just a question of the club, the owners, the board, Mr [Ed] Woodward, [and what] they all want, [if] they all are happy with my contribution and they want me to stay beyond the end of this contract. But, yes, I want to stay."