Jose Mourinho sponsors Jaguar let cat out the bag as the Portuguese prepares to hit ground running at Manchester United
Man United will officially confirm Jose Mourinho's appointment on Friday
Bizarrely, United sponsors Jaguar made the announcement before the club
The former Chelsea manager will sign a three-year-contract at Old Trafford
United will immediately go to work on signing his top transfer targets
Mourinho is said to have been impressed at the work they've already done
Walking back to his London home on Thursday wearing his best Hugo Boss suit and clutching a bottle of red from Hedonism Wines in Mayfair, Jose Mourinho was content in the knowledge that he is the new manager of Manchester United.
Bizarrely, Jaguar — one of Mourinho's sponsors — made the announcement before the club, who were forced to wait until trading started on the New York Stock Exchange where United are listed but later deleted their tweet.
United will officially confirm Mourinho as their new manager on Friday and will immediately go to work on bringing his transfer targets to Old Trafford.
The former Chelsea boss will sign a three-year contract worth £45million and will be handed a transfer budget of £200m as United launch an assault on the Premier League next season.UNITED PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
July 22 ‒ Borussia Dortmund, Shanghai Stadium, International Champions Cup
July 25 ‒ Manchester City, Beijing International Stadium, International Champions Cup
August 7 ‒ Leicester City, Wembley, Community Shield
Premier League season starts August 13
Mourinho, 53, has already identified areas of United's squad which he feels need strengthening. He has spoken at length with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward who now faces what one source described as 'an intense couple of weeks' as he attempts to lure the men on Mourinho's wishlist.
Sportsmail understands that United would like to have unveiled the Special One earlier this week but minor legal issues held up the announcement.
Chelsea held the trademark on Mourinho's name but reports that this was behind a hold-up in making the announcement were dismissed as a red herring and did not impact on talks with his agent Jorge Mendes.
United already have in-depth scouting and analysis on many of Mourinho's targets and Woodward has assured him that he will be able to re-shape former manager Louis van Gaal's underperforming side.
Mourinho is said to have been impressed by the work United have already done on players he would like to bring to Manchester.
The desire at United is to hit the ground running and ensure Mourinho will force his imprint on the team in time for the start of next season.
Discussions were ongoing on Thursday night but it is not thought that Mourinho will be unveiled at a press conference. The belief is that a statement, with Mourinho quotes, will be issued by United instead.
If that is the case, Mourinho will be introduced after the Euros and may not face the media until he has met his players and taken his first training session in July.
He is scheduled to be in the United dugout for the first time at Old Trafford next weekend, but only to take charge of an England team to face the Rest of the World in a Soccer Aid match for children's charity UNICEF on June 5.
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is at the top of Mourinho's list of targets. The 34-year-old, who will be a free agent following the expiry of his contract with Paris-Saint Germain, hinted that a move to Old Trafford was already done at an entertaining press conference on Thursday.
MOURINHO TROPHY HAUL - 21
Porto
Primeira Liga: 2002–03, 2003–04
Portuguese Super Cup: 2003
UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
UEFA Cup: 2002–03
Chelsea
Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15
FA Cup: 2006–07
Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15
FA Community Shield: 2005
Inter Milan
Serie A: 2008–09, 2009–10
Coppa Italia: 2009–10
Italian Super Cup: 2008
UEFA Champions League: 2009–10
Real Madrid
La Liga: 2011–12
Copa del Rey: 2010–11
Spanish Super Cup: 2012
Mourinho's arrival was welcomed by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who said: 'The first thing he needs to do is install a winning mentality back into the club. Get this ingredient back into the players but also the people that work inside the club day to day.
'Give them back that belief so it is breathing throughout the club again, which is so important. But doing the above in the United way is equally important. I have heard many say the Mourinho way is not the Manchester United style of playing football.
'However, the Chelsea team that Jose put together first time around when he entered the Premier League played with wingers and hurt teams with quick, attacking play.
'They had the likes of Arjen Robben and Damien Duff on the wings who were direct and quick.
'This is a sign he knows how to get a team playing in a way United fans can look forward to seeing. After his recent unsuccessful time at Chelsea, I can assure you he is a wounded animal which makes him a mouthwatering appointment.'
Mourinho's first game in charge of United will be against Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup in Shanghai on July 22.
Three days later it will be a mouthwatering clash against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, before the Community Shield match against Leicester City at Wembley on August 7.
United's fringe players had broken the news that Van Gaal was to be replaced by Mourinho as the team celebrated in their Wembley dressing room with the FA Cup on Saturday.
As word filtered through, there was a visible downturn in celebrations as players asked if there had been official clarification.
The United party continued at the Corinthia Hotel where they were joined by Sir Alex Ferguson and his brother Martin, but the conversation was dominated by Van Gaal's future rather than celebration of a record-equalling 12th FA Cup win.
United's board members were conspicuous by their absence and as Van Gaal awoke to headlines about Jose Mourinho's pending arrival he gathered his staff together as planned in a pre-breakfast meeting on Sunday.
He addressed them all, opening with the fact that as far as he was aware he was still their manager as no-one had told him otherwise.
In his clipped Dutch tones, Van Gaal thanked his staff, praising them for being the best backroom team he had known in his career, before the emotion and uncertainty of the occasion visibly began to get the better of him.
Composing himself, the 64-year-old proceeded to hand out an itinerary for the summer and said he would see them all soon.
It was later on Sunday afternoon that Van Gaal received a message from Woodward asking to see him at his apartment in Bowdon, Cheshire. There it became clear that the rumours were indeed true and he was to be sacked.
SIGNING FOR THE REDS
Judging by his wine merchant, Jose Mourinho will need every penny of his £15million a year.
Hedonism Wines in Mayfair stock some bottles costing more than £100,000. Their ultra-rare Penfolds Kalimna Block 42 Ampoule 2004, for example, goes for £120,000 — three days' wages for the new United boss.
But if it's for a less valued managerial guest, the Italian reds start at £11.20.
Van Gaal was informed of his dismissal on Sunday – the day after leading United to FA Cup glory at Wembley
