Ryan Giggs, Van Gaal’s No 2, has not entirely given up hope of becoming the club’s next manager but there are concerns the demands of the role would be too much, too soon for him. Giggs’s future may ultimately centre around whether he is prepared to serve an apprenticeship to a third manager after Moyes and Van Gaal.

In the meantime, United are continuing to work on some prospective transfer deals, despite the managerial uncertainty. Renato Sanches, the Benfica midfielder, and Everton centre-half, John Stones, are two longer standing targets, interest in whom predates the club’s interest in Mourinho. But they are signings Mourinho would approve given that he tried to entice both during his second spell at Chelsea, which culminated in him being sacked in December after a calamitous start to their title defence.