Tuesday 24 May 2016 07:49, UK
Louis van Gaal has been sacked as manager of Manchester United, the club have confirmed.
Sky sources believe Van Gaal was informed on Sunday night he would no longer be in charge of the club, despite him leading United to the FA Cup on Saturday with a 2-1 final win over Crystal Palace, and the move was confirmed just after 8.30pm on Monday evening.
Van Gaal asked for the news of his departure not to be broken until he had boarded a flight for Portugal, where he has a house, and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward agreed to the request after delivering the news at the Dutchman's Manchester home.
The 64-year-old spent the day at the club's Carrington training ground - after a day of negotiations over the terms of the compensation package for him and his coaching staff - before leaving just before 5pm.
In a statement, Van Gaal said: "It has been an honour to manage such a magnificent club as Manchester United FC, and in doing so, I have fulfilled a long-held ambition.
"I am immensely proud to have helped United win the FA Cup for the 12th time in the club's history. I have been privileged during my management career to have won 20 trophies but winning the FA Cup, which is steeped in so much history, will always be one of the most special achievements of my career.
"I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended three-year plan. I believe that the foundations are firmly in place to enable the club to move forward and achieve even greater success.
Woodward said: "I would like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA Cup for the club (and securing him a title in four different countries).
"He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future."
We understand United are now due to speak to Jose Mourinho's representatives about replacing Van Gaal, with Woodward to meet his agent Jorge Mendes in London on Tuesday.
According to our sources, there has been dialogue between Mourinho and United already but the former Chelsea boss was not paid a 'sweetener' to keep him free until the club made a final decision on Van Gaal's future.
Mourinho is understood to be keen to succeed Van Gaal and officials at the club are confident of finalising his appointment before the weekend.
The 53-year-old - out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge before Christmas - spent Monday in London, and was seen leaving his home with long-time assistant Rui Faria.
As he returned for the second time - without Faria - he told reporters, cameramen and photographers waiting outside: "Go home, go home, go home because I don't leave the house today. It's better to go home."
Van Gaal arrived at Carrington at 8.45am and he was joined there an hour later by employment lawyer Paul Gilroy QC.
Ryan Giggs - whose own future is unclear after 29 years with United as a player and coach - left about 30 minutes after Gilroy arrived.
Gilroy also negotiated David Moyes' severance package when he was dismissed two years ago and he left again at around 3.30pm.
Although he waved to reporters waiting outside, he was driven away without making any comment.
Van Gaal has been in charge at Old Trafford since replacing Moyes and the weekend success at Wembley gave them their first trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson's reign ended in 2013.
His win rate is the third best of all of United's permanent managers at 51 per cent but this season has seen him attract criticism for his team's style of play.
United scored an average of just 1.29 goals per Premier League match, having always been over 1.5 goals per game each season since the inception of the revamped top flight in 1992.
At one point, the team went eight games without winning and recorded just three victories in 15 matches at the end of 2015.
Form in the second half of the campaign was better and it led to the cup win but a fifth-place finish in the Premier League and failure to qualify for the Champions League has cost Van Gaal.
