FORMER Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho reportedly believes he has a “gentleman’s agreement” with Manchester United Chief Executive, Ed Woodward, to become the next Red Devils boss.

That’s according to Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, who reported Mourinho is yet to sign any sort of pre-contract with the club, but he’s confident he will replace current manager Louis van Gaal next season.

The Portuguese’s agent, Jorge Mendes, would rather see Mourinho replace the Dutchman at some point this season, but Woodward remains hesitant to sack Van Gaal and will instead wait until summer before officially appointing a successor.

Mourinho caused a bit of a stir when he travelled to Milan to watch former club Inter take on Sampdoria over the weekend, although he quickly clarified he would not be returning to the Nerazzurri, per Luckhurst:

There is one thing I want to clarify – I will not be directing things over there next season. Inter already have a project that belongs to Roberto Mancini and (president) Erick Thohir.

Their ideas have my full support and I hope their plans are successful. I want to see Inter fans smiling again and so I hope to witness a victory tomorrow.

• Culled from YahooSports.com