Mourinho to Manchester United Rumors Are Reaching a Boiling Point

The rumors started out as a hilarious anecdote. Only in the EPL would a coach fired for driving champions into the ground be hired to replace the manager of a historic team in fifth place. Preposterous. But now it seems that all signs—including ones from reliable journalists—are pointing to Jose Mourinho being hired to replace Louis Van Gaal as manager of Manchester United. The Premier League is crazy like that.

Yesterday started out with trusted Sky Italia reporter Alessandro Alciato reporting that the agreement was close to finalization.

@SkySport Mourinho-Manchester United: accordo vicinissimo. Che derby con il City di Guardiola!
— Alessandro Alciato (@AAlciato) February 3, 2016

And yup. That's Alciato dreaming about a Man City-Man United derby between Guardiola and Mourinho. Swoon.

Then, Spanish magazine El Confidencial came outright and said it. They're speculating that the agreement stipulates that if Van Gaal can steady the ship, then the swap will happen in June, after the end of the season. But if Van Gaal starts to slip, Mourinho could be in ASAP.

Maybe that six-page letter that Mourinho wrote Manchester United worked. Luckily for Manchester United, Mourinho's got nothing better to do in the meantime. But again: rumors are rumors.