Manchester United STILL see Ryan Giggs as their next manager amid Jose Mourinho rumours

Louis van Gaal's disastrous tenure may be brought to an end a year earlier than planned, with a club insider saying United prefer the 'long-term' option of Giggs

Manchester United still see Ryan Giggs as their next manager.

The Old Trafford club are ready to deliver a huge snub to former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho by pressing ahead with a succession plan that will see Giggs take over from Louis van Gaal.

That process will move forward at the end of the season, with the beleaguered Dutchman seemingly unable to halt a meltdown that has shocked United chiefs.

That will be a major blow to Mourinho, who has coveted the United job since he introduced himself to English football by plotting the Reds’ Champions League elimination with Porto 12 years ago.

But United do not believe the Portuguese will be a good fit to take over a club that requires a major rebuild.

A United insider said: “Appointing Mourinho would only paper over the cracks. The club have a long-term plan that they intend to stick to.”

United will honour promises they made to Giggs when he agreed to become Van Gaal’s right-hand man in 2014.

His work under the Dutchman has been impressive and the belief inside Old Trafford is that he will be the kind of unifying force that has been missing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired almost three years ago.

The 42-year-old Welshman is regarded as much more than a safe pair of hands.

But Mourinho’s thinly-veiled charm offensive since being sacked by Chelsea in December has not been well received at Old Trafford.

United sources insist that any communication with Mourinho’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has been instigated by the Portuguese himself.

And the club have not been impressed by the way that briefings from the Mendes camp have only served to crank up the pressure on Van Gaal.

The hope was that Giggs would spend at least three years working as Van Gaal’s assistant before assuming control of the club he has served since he was a Salford schoolboy.

That plan will now be brought forward, unless Van Gaal can deliver a miraculous end to he campaign.