Manchester United have signed a pre-contract agreement with Jose Mourinho, according to El Pais.

The report claims that the former Chelsea boss is in line to replace Louis van Gaal at the end of the season, but if he has not signed the contract by May 1, he is to be paid £5 million by United.

If the contract is still not signed by Mourinho on June 1, United will have to pay £10m on top of the initial £5m.

It’s claimed that the clause has been inserted because senior figures at United, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton, are not entirely convinced that the 53-year-old is the right appointment.

Real Madrid have already been in contact with Mourinho, but the Portuguese would prefer to take the job at United, rather than rejoin his former club.