With the pressure on Louis Van Gaal nearing breaking point at Old Trafford, many believe the Dutchman's position as manager may be in jeopardy after recent results.
While the UK based media were clearly briefed that Van Gaal had the full support of the board in recent weeks, the general opinion seems to be that Manchester United's Champions League exit at the hands of Wolfsburg coming in between defeats to Bournemouth and Norwich has escalated the situation significantly.
Contrary to that idea, however, are reports that have emerged from Sky Italia which claim that Manchester United contacted Carlo Ancelotti to sound him out over potenitally taking charge in place of Louis Van Gaal, only to be knocked back by the Italian, who always had his eyes on the Bayern Munich job.
Niccolo' Omini (Sky Italia): "Manchester United contacted Ancelotti a few weeks ago but he made it clear that Bayern is his first option"
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) December 20, 2015
Niccolo' Omini (Sky Italia): "The Premier League has always been Ancelotti's second option. He was waiting for Pep Guardiola's decision"
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) December 20, 2015
Niccolo Omini is the man who these reports trace back to, but they are likely to be dismissed by both Manchester United and Carlo Ancelotti should they be questioned regarding this suggestion, especially considering that it has been confirmed that Ancelotti will take over as Bayern manager at the end of the season.
While they should be taken with a pinch of salt, the reports are interesting as they go against the idea that Manchester United stand fully behind their manager, as they had told many British journalists, and instead are actively looking for a replacement.
This week is sure to be a busy week for those in power at Manchester United, and we'll keep you up to date with any developments that may occur.
