The best kept secret in football

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Jose Mourinho to take charge at Old Trafford (wow never saw that coming) .

Jose Mourinho is honoured to be taking charge at Old Trafford and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes Manchester United now have "the best manager in the game".

Months of speculation came to a head this week as Louis van Gaal's turbulent two-year reign was brought to an end, just days after winning the FA Cup.

Wembley glory was unable to mask poor Premier League performances and United swiftly went about securing Mourinho, with talks about replacing the man he once assisted at Barcelona starting on Tuesday.

It took until Friday for the terms of the contract to be ironed out and United to announce the former Chelsea manager on a three-year deal, with an option to stay at the club until at least 2020.

"To become Manchester United manager is a special honour in the game," Mourinho said.

"It is a club known and admired throughout the world. There is a mystique and a romance about it which no other club can match.

"I have always felt an affinity with Old Trafford; it has hosted some important memories for me in my career and I have always enjoyed a rapport with the United fans.

"I'm looking forward to being their manager and enjoying their magnificent support in the coming years."

Mourinho's immediate task is to revive United's ailing fortunes, having finished fifth in the Premier League last term and missed out on Champions League qualification.

Europa League football now awaits but so too does a bright future, with Woodward confident there is no better person to restore the club to the heights scaled under Sir Alex Ferguson.

"Jose is quite simply the best manager in the game today," the executive vice-chairman said.

"He has won trophies and inspired players in countries across Europe and, of course, he knows the Premier League very well, having won three titles here.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome him to Manchester United. His track record of success is ideal to take the club forward."

United officials say Mourinho will not be presented to the media until July, but he is scheduled to manage England at Old Trafford on June 5 in Soccer Aid 2016.

Fans have already waited outside his London home, with the new manager signing shirts through the window of his car.

The 53-year-old arrives at the club boasting a trophy-laden CV, having won the Champions League twice and league title in four countries, including three Premier League winners' medals.

However, Mourinho has been out of work since his second spell at Chelsea came to an embarrassing end in December, with the reigning champions looking to beat the drop rather than retain their crown when he departed.

A ninth league loss in 16 matches spelled the end of his reign, which the club's technical director Michael Emenalo blamed on "palpable discord" between the manager and his players.

Mourinho was immediately linked with the United hotseat, but Van Gaal, the man he once assisted at Barcelona, saw out the rest of the season.

There is yet to be any confirmation over the fate of the Dutchman's backroom team, with assistant Ryan Giggs reportedly considering ending his near 29-year association with the club.

Press Association Sport understands United's most decorated player has an offer to stay on, although it is unclear what that role would be.

Mourinho will want to bring a number of his own staff to Old Trafford, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks like being the first signing.

The Sweden striker is leaving Paris St Germain this summer and confirmed he has had "concrete offers" from Premier League clubs.

Ibrahimovic did not mention United specifically but spoke of his admiration for and "great relationship" with his former boss Mourinho, who he worked with at Inter Milan.

And when asked if there had been an offer from the Old Trafford outfit, Ibrahimovic paused for several seconds with a smile on his face, before saying: "Let's see what happens."

Asked if he has spoken to Mourinho in the past week, the 34-year-old frontman said: "I have spoken with him every day since I left Inter Milan.

"I have a great relationship with Mourinho and we are in contact, but not in the last weeks - we have been talking for many years."