Manchester United confirm sacking of Louis van Gaal, successor yet to be announced

The club confirmed the news on Monday evening with the Dutch manager paying the price for United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League after finishing the Premier League season in fifth place. He had also alienated legions of United fans, who had grown frustrated at the football on show at Old Trafford over the past two years.

A statement from executive vice chairman Ed Woodward on the club's website said: "I would like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA Cup for the club (and securing him a title in four different countries).

"He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future."

Van Gaal insisted he was disappointed not to be able to complete his contract. "It has been an honour to manage such a magnificent club as Manchester United FC, and in doing so, I have fulfilled a long-held ambition," he told the United website.

"I am immensely proud to have helped United win the FA Cup for the 12th time in the club's history. I have been privileged during my management career to have won 20 trophies but winning the FA Cup, which is steeped in so much history, will always be one of the most special achievements of my career.

"I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended three-year plan. I believe that the foundations are firmly in place to enable the club to move forward and achieve even greater success."

Jose Mourinho will be appointed as his successor after Van Gaal was informed of his fate in a meeting with Woodward at the club’s Carrington training ground.

Van Gaal was brought to United in the summer of 2014 as a replacement for David Moyes and was handed around £250 million to spend over his two seasons in charge as United sought to return to the pinnacle of European football.

However, a first FA Cup in 12 years was not sufficient to keep him in place after United missed out on Champions League football in the final round of fixtures, with fans leaving Wembley on Saturday evening already chanting Mourinho’s name.

Goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek, assistant Albert Stuivenberg and performance analyst Max Reckers have also been sacked as United clear the decks in anticipation of the arrival of Mourinho. There has been no word on what the future holds for Ryan Giggs, who assisted Van Gaal and was linked with the full job.

Van Gaal reportedly offered to resign as manager at least twice during the club's difficult Premier League campaign.

Van Gaal departs United a trophy winner and adding the FA Cup to his CV is no small thing for the Dutchman. Nevertheless, the key fact remains that under his rule, United have once again surrendered their place in the Champions League and his insipid style of football was not becoming of a club with United's history.

Van Gaal has provided some entertaining moments - but usually on the touchlines or in his press conferences. The football fare on offer was desperate at times - highlighted by the fact that with 49 league goals this season, United registered their lowest tally since 1989-90. Youngsters have emerged, Marcus Rashford in particular, but Van Gaal's failure to get the best out of players such as Angel Di Maria and Memphis Depay, and whispers coming out of the club on Monday regarding player discontent over his conservative playing style, suggests he was the wrong man for a club of United's horizons.

The nature of his departure might rankle - journalists were being briefed of Mourinho's imminent appointment even as Van Gaal sat in the Wembley press room with the FA Cup in his hands - but you cannot argue with the decision United have taken. Whether Mourinho is the right man to restore United to the top of the game is another matter.