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Laurent Blanc is the leading contender to take temporary charge of Manchester United until the end of the season.

Former United defender Blanc, who has managed the France national team and Paris St Germain, is seen as the ideal candidate to take over from Jose Mourinho, who was sacked on Tuesday.

The United board are understood to prefer the temporary boss to have links with the club, although they are prepared to cast their net wider for a candidate without experience of playing for the Reds.

Ex-United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also in the frame, but France World Cup winner Blanc, who spent two years at Old Trafford between 2001 and 2003, is the stronger candidate to take the job on a temporary basis.

(Image: Xavier Laine/Getty) (Image: Mirrorpix)

Solksjaer, who had an ill-fated spell in charge of Cardiff City, was understood to have been one of the names in the frame when Mourinho was under huge pressure in October and facing the sack.

But the United board lost their nerve and Mourinho survived after his side came from 2-0 down to beat Newcastle 3-2 at Old Trafford, but it only proved to be a stay of execution.