Ferguson out, Mourinho in

[CDev]

Sir Alex Ferguson will quit Manchester United at the end of next season – and Jose Mourinho will succeed him.

Ferguson aims to complete an unprecedented 25 seasons in charge at Old Trafford before calling time on the most successful managerial career in history.

By then, the man who took over in November 1986, hopes to have steered United to a record number of title wins and, hopefully, a third Champions League success.

Starsport understands United have already lined up the charismatic Mourinho, currently in charge of Inter Milan. Ferguson, who will be 69 on December 31, has been involved in discussions about his successor for the past few years.

Mourinho, who recently talked about his love-hate relationship with Italian football, earmarked himself as a potential successor to the remarkable Ferguson six years ago when his Porto team knocked United out of the Champions League at Old Trafford – and went on to lift the trophy.

Mourinho then took over at Chelsea and, for two years, dented United’s domination of the Premier League.

He is desperate to return to England – and the United job is the one he wants most of all.

Ferguson has delivered an amazing 11 Premier titles to Old Trafford and, after the weekend’s results, is poised to make it 12.

That would mean a record 19 Championships for the club, a milestone many people thought would signal Ferguson’s retirement.

But he has no intention of stepping aside yet. Ferguson’s retirement has been a closely-guarded secret ever since he did a dramatic U-turn in 2002.

Since then, Ferguson has led the club to a second Champions League success and four league titles. Now, just one point behind Chelsea after Saturday’s results, United are poised to claim yet another Premier League crown.

And, still, Ferguson will want more.

The man who moved from Aberdeen to transform United from sleeping giant into the most successful club in the country is an almost impossible act to follow. United have decided Mourinho is the man to give it a go.

[wickedxawesome]

i just don't want to believe it. sir alex forever!

[sportsaint]

maybe, jose has a brilliant chance to win the champions league this year, also rumours say he turned down city