Manchester: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect following a dismal start to the season, the Premier League side announced Tuesday.
“Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect,” United said in a statement. “The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.”
“A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager,” the statement further read.
United have made their worst start to a league season in 28 years and were beaten 1-3 by arch-rivals Liverpool Sunday in what was Mourinho’s final match in charge of the club.
The Red Devils are currently sixth in the table with 26 points from 17 matches, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The Portuguese won the Europa League and the League Cup in the 2016-17 season before guiding the team to second in the league last season and reaching the FA Cup final.
Mourinho, who was pictured arriving at Carrington Tuesday, is set to receive a £22.5m pay-off with the club still in the Champions League. However, according to sources, though Michael Carrick is the current assistant manager, he is not expected to take the role and instead, the appointment will be a man with strong links to the club.
Meanwhile, it is understood former Manchester United defender and one-time France and Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc is a front-runner to take over at Old Trafford as caretaker boss. The 53-year-old is a good friend of club legend Sir Alex Ferguson, and is available immediately having been out of work for the last two years.