Louis van Gaal receives £5m pay-off; Jose Mourinho Set to take charge as United’s Coach

Louis van Gaal has been sacked as manager of Manchester United, with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho set to be named as his replacement.

Van Gaal, 64, leaves after two years of a three-year contract and is currently discussing severance terms.

Van Gaal, who has been given a £5million pay-off on top of £400,000 for winning the FA Cup, has been made to pay for United’s poor Premier League campaign and will be replaced by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

His Dutch coaching staff – including United assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg and goalkeeper coach Frans Hoek – have also left the club with immediate effect.

Mourinho’s appointment is expected to be confirmed after the 53-year-old Portuguese meets with senior United officials on Tuesday.

It is not yet certain what future Ryan Giggs, Van Gaal’s assistant, has at Old Trafford or what will happen to the rest of the coaching team.

BBC Sport reported on Saturday that United’s FA Cup win over Crystal Palace would be Van Gaal’s last game in charge.

He took control of United after leading the Netherlands to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The Old Trafford club finished fourth in the Premier League in his first season in charge to qualify for the Champions League.

But they finished fifth this term and will play in the Europa League next season.

They only scored 49 league goals, too, their lowest total since 1989-90.

Saturday’s FA Cup success at Wembley gave United a first trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson delivered the Premier League title in 2013 in his last season before retirement, but it was not enough to stop Van Gaal from losing his job.

Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea last December, just seven months after leading the London club to the Premier League title.