Manchester United deny Louis van Gaal set for director of football role

The Sun are today running a story claiming Louis van Gaal could see out the remaining year of his Manchester United contract in a director of football role, thereby paving the way for the arrival of José Mourinho without the humiliation of being sacked. It may not be a particularly bad idea: van Gaal may have mellowed as the years have passed, but he'd surely still be a better man to have at the transfer negotiating table than Ed Woodward.

However, according to "Sky sources", it's not about to happen:

Manchester United are not looking to appoint a director of football, following reports that Louis van Gaal is set for a role change, say Sky sources.

The article doesn't actually disclose the nature of the source, and spends much time echoing the Sun's belief that van Gaal is still thought of very highly by the United hierarchy. Could it be possible that van Gaal could take up a different sort of role at United, one that isn't as hands-on as a director of football? We'll have to wait and see. Let's just hope wherever he ends up, it's nowhere in the vicinity of the Old Trafford dugout.