It feels like the newspapers really are just taking the p*ss at this stage.
Louis van Gaal, and surely even Jose Mourinho, could not fail to find the latest rumour about life at Old Trafford next season too preposterous to be true.
The Dutchman is set to wrap up his second season in charge at Manchester United on Saturday when he leads the club out in the F.A Cup final at Wembley.
However, even a cup final win over Crystal Palace may not be enough to save his job, as the axe is ready to drop this summer according to various reports.
But perhaps he won’t be heading for the exit door after all, despite another poor campaign and the lack of Champions League football next season.
The Sun are now reporting that Van Gaal has been offered a way to stay at Old Trafford, and an opportunity to work alongside his successor, who they claim will be Jose Mourinho.
The newspaper claims LvG will be offered a director of football role this summer and will move ‘upstairs, to allow Mourinho to take over.
The offer from Ed Woodward is understood to have been made with LvG’s three-year-contract in mind, and how costly it could be for the club to break it.
However, we’re calling bulltsh*t on this one, and we’re not alone in doing so.
https://twitter.com/ffsRooney/status/733528019562684416
Mourinho as manager, Van Gaal as Director of Football with Fergie on the board. That will work won't it, no egos there.
— Simmo (@alex_simmo) May 19, 2016
It’s true that Mourinho and LvG have a decent relationship, and indeed did work together at Barcelona before.
But surely now that Mourinho has established himself as a top coach, he would be dismissive of working under his predecessor.
LvG would also surely find it too galling to see the Portuguese dismantle his expensively assembled squad this summer.
We’d imagine ego will have a lot to do with what happens to both men, but for now, we’re calling B.S on this notion.