Report: Jose Mourinho confident he'll manage Manchester United next season

Jose Mourinho is "increasingly confident" he will succeed Louis van Gaal as Manchester United manager next season, reports ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney, citing sources.

There is apparently belief in Mourinho's camp that Van Gaal will leave in the summer after a trying couple of years on the Old Trafford bench.

Delaney reports "key members" of United's hierarchy are pushing for Mourinho's appointment, but the Glazer family, which owns the club, is not yet unanimous in its support for the Portuguese boss.

One of the family members reportedly holds Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino in high regard. Pochettino has guided Spurs to third in the Premier League, and that's convinced at least one of the Glazers to more thoroughly examine United's managerial candidates.

Discussions between the Red Devils and Mourinho, however, have been ongoing, sources "close to all parties" told ESPN FC. The 53-year-old, fired by Chelsea in December, reportedly sent a six-page letter detailing his desire for the United job and how he would embrace its deep-rooted philosophy of attacking football.

Hiring Mourinho would also offer the red half of Manchester a good rebuttal to Manchester City's appointment of Pep Guardiola. City announced earlier this week that Guardiola would supplant Manuel Pellegrini in the summer, and Delaney notes that Mourinho "is one of the few managers with the CV and ability to guarantee properly competing with the Catalan coach."

But such a change at United would most likely occur following the current campaign. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has maintained his defence of Van Gaal, reportedly hesitating to make any change in the middle of the season unless absolutely necessary.