Mitch Freeley

With Jose Mourinho now sacked as Manchester United manager, beIN SPORTS looks at three potential long-term replacements for the Special One at Old Trafford. You can follow all the latest Mourinho reaction via beIN CONNECT. 

Zinedine Zidane

Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has been installed as one of the early favourites for the United job. The French boss won the Champions League on three separate occasions before leaving Los Blancos in the summer. Having scaled the heights as a player, winning both the World Cup & European Championship with France he will certainly win the respect of the United dressing room. 

Having coached at arguably one of the most political clubs in world football, Zidane knows exactly what it takes to man manage the egos of some of the worlds best footballers. Could his coaching style fit with the all-star squad that United have assembled down the years?  

Mauricio Pochettino

Current Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino could also be a feasible option as a long-term successor for the United hot-seat. The 46-year old has significant managerial experience in the Premier League with both Southampton and Spurs. 

More encouragingly the Argentine boss has an attacking brand of football and has worked miracles at Tottenham who has been hamstrung financially ahead of a move to their brand new stadium. Certainly, Pochettino’s brand of football is more in line with the United way, and fans will be even more encouraged in how during his four years with the North London club he has developed a host of younger players, including England striker Harry Kane. 

The major stumbling block for United could be the contract. Pochettino signed a new five year deal with Spurs in the summer, committing his long-term future with the side. Now with United potentially approaching would Pochettino trade the stability of Spurs and a new stadium to manage one of the biggest sides in world football who are now looking for their sixth coach since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013. 

Antonio Conte 

Perhaps an outside shout is Antonio Conte. The former Chelsea boss is no stranger to winning the Premier League, having lifted the 2016-17 title with the Blues. Whilst in his final season the Italian coach got the better of Mourinho in the FA Cup final with a narrow 1-0 win. 

Having parted ways with Chelsea in the summer, Conte was linked with the vacant Real Madrid job before that was given to Santiago Solari. Whilst the 49-year old has an enviable managerial CV including stints with the Italian national team, and Juventus, however, would the fact that he plays a similarly defensive brand of football to Mourinho stop him from getting the top job? For now it seems that Conte is content to sit out of the managerial merry-go-round, however, a call from Manchester United could tempt the Italian back to the Premier League.