Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly set to take over Louis van Gaal's Manchester United head coaching position in the summer as "senior Old Trafford figures" are said to be keen on making changes in the club moving forward.

United had been going through a rough season so far with the 64-year-old Dutch mentor unable to lead his team to achieve expectations from owners and fans alike. The team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League and had also failed to settle in the top four spots of the English Premier League with only six games left in their current campaign.

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The fourth spot in the English top flight table is also the final Champions League berth for next season. It is currently possessed by cross-city rivals Manchester City as they are four points ahead of United, who is currently sitting at the fifth spot.

Van Gaal managed to lead the Red Devils in the semifinals of the FA Cup, though, although the Mirror reported that it will not affect "the thinking among the Old Trafford hierarchy that a change is now required this summer".

The number one prospect to replace van Gaal is the Blues' former championship coach Mourinho, who is a free agent as of the moment.

Caught Offside noted that "the Red Devils hierarchy are already considering their vision for the future, which is understood to involve deposed Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho".

Reports are out that Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson had already given his approval to hire Mourinho at the end of the season and the club's senior officials have also accepted the plan.

Ferguson, who had coached United for 26 years before his retirement in 2013, as well as fellow Old Trafford legend Sir Bobby Charlton were said to have initially opposed the hiring of Mourinho as the next club manager.

But in light of the team's recent disappointments, the two senior United officials have allegedly "eased off" their resistance to the idea and have now accepted the need to make necessary changes.

TagsFootball News & Rumors, Football News & Rumors 2016, Jose Mourinho, Louis Van Gaal, Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton