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Jose Mourinho was the manager of Manchester United for just over two years, but failed to leave any real impression on either the club or the fans. To say that he flopped at United would be an understatement.
When Mourinho took the reins at Old Trafford back in May 2016, the majority of United's fan base were overjoyed. Things may have ended on a sour note at Chelsea the season prior, but many fans and critics alike believed that he had a lot left to give. However, after a disappointing 6th place finish in his first campaign with the Red Devils, eyebrows started to raise.
He quickly redeemed himself with a second place finish the following season, with United ending up on 81 points. Had their bitter rivals, Manchester City, not stormed the league and ended up with 100 points, Mourinho would have been lauded for his efforts a lot more.
But this season United have been dismal. Their style of play is dull and lethargic, provoking a chorus of boos from the crowd virtually every match. It's clear that the players had turned their back on Mourinho from the get-go, and once he lost the faith of his team, things were bound to spiral out of control - and they did.
United sit in 6th place with 26 points, a staggering 19 points from the top spot. The fact that the Premier League title is now considered an "unrealistic" goal for a team the size of Manchester United is very sad, especially when you consider their history.
Without further adieu, let's take a look at five managers (in no particular order) that could take Jose Mourinho's place at Manchester United.
Disclaimer: This list is comprised of managers who are either odds-on favourites for the job, or have been linked with the role in the past.
#5 Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc was the manager of Paris Saint-Germain for three years (2013 - 2016). He won three league titles, and domestic trebles, during his time at the Parc des Princes, but it was the team's poor performances in the Champions League that eventually led to his demise.
PSG had reached the Champions League quarter-final stage over four consecutive seasons - three of which were during his reign - before being eliminated. In hindsight, Blanc did the best he could with a developing side; Paris Saint-Germain had nowhere near the calibre of players it has in its side today.
All in all, Laurent Blanc won 11 trophies, including two national quadruples, leaving a significant mark on the history of PSG.
Rumour probability: 7/10
According to The Mirror, Laurent Blanc is the leading contender to take temporary charge of United until the end of the season. Blanc had of course been a United player back in the early 2000s, before he retired in the summer of 2003, so it's likely that his link to the club will have a strong say in whether he gets picked for the job.
#4 Julen Lopetegui
Mostly recognised now as the man who left as Spain's manager mere weeks before the World Cup was to commence to become the manager of Real Madrid. Technically, he was fired, but it was reportedly because he was discovered to have been in talks with Madrid about a switch whilst he was still in charge of Spain.
Lopetegui succeeded Zinedine Zidane in June but only survived four-and-a-half months in charge. He was sacked in October following a 5-1 defeat in the El Clasico against Barcelona, which was their fifth loss in six matches.
They were ninth in La Liga at the time of his dismissal, leaving many to wonder whether Lopetegui even had what it took to be a manager of a top-tier club.
However, whilst his time at Madrid might have been a nightmare, he's had much success elsewhere with FC Porto, as well as the Spain national side.
Rumour probability: 3/10
Speculation has surrounded Lopetegui and other high-profile clubs in Europe for some time now, and the Spaniard seems eager to find a new club sometime soon. Now that Mourinho has been dismissed, there's no doubt that Lopetegui is to be found somewhere on United's shortlist.
But whether he'll ultimately get the job is a different story entirely, as the calibre of managers potentially lined up for the role could see him cast back to the shadows.
#3 Leonardo Jardim
Leonardo Jardim led AS Monaco to their first Ligue 1 title in nearly two decades back in the 2016-17 campaign. He employed an attacking style of football with a young and impressive side, changing the face of Monaco entirely during that period.
Things fell apart, however, later on down the line, and Jardim was to be sacked a few months into this season after Monaco failed to perform anywhere near to the standards expected of them.
Manchester United's philosophies have always included a desire to combine the recruitment and development of young players with the occasional big transfer to immediately reinforce the team.
This is exactly what Jardim had done with AS Monaco in the first couple of seasons, and United would be a great deal better off for having him until the rest of the season - and possibly beyond.
Rumour probability: 7/10
Sky Bet have given Leonardo Jardim's chances of becoming the new United manager 16/1 odds. Nobody knows for sure who United are looking at right now, but with Jardim's successful period at Monaco on his CV, he might just leapfrog his competitors.
#2 Mauricio Pochettino
What Mauricio Pochettino has achieved with Tottenham Hotspur is nothing short of spectacular. But the fact he's yet to win the Premier League title isn't a result of his managerial style, but instead the quality of the players out on the pitch.
Perhaps Spurs simply don't have a team capable of winning the title just yet, and when you have a board that's so reluctant to spend anything, the future doesn't exactly look too great.
At Manchester United, Pochettino would have everything at his fingertips: a superb team, a significant transfer budget, and all the support from the fans and the board to do what he pleases, so long as it gets results.
The belief that Pochettino shows in young talent is precisely what United are after; Mourinho was known for turning a blind eye to upcoming youth prospects, in favour of experienced players taking the field, but Pochettino has always seen the promise in youngsters that others overlook, and that's something that has been instrumental to his success.
Rumour probability: 8/10
Pochettino is probably the best fit for United on this list, but it all depends on whether he'd be willing to leave behind Spurs for the job, a project that he's been working on for the past three years.
#1 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the Man United job ever since he parted ways with Madrid, back in the summer. He's by far the most likely candidate to take over the role permanently, given his success and the fact he's currently unemployed.
Now that Mourinho has been dismissed, Zidane will undoubtedly be near the top of United's shortlist, and without any clear obstacles in his way, Zidane's appointment could be announced very soon.
At the time of writing this, Sky Bet have given Zidane 5/1 odds of becoming the next United manager.
However, the one thing that might mean other managers step ahead of him in the running for the job, is the fact that his first-team managerial experience is restricted solely to his time with Madrid. He spent two years there, and whilst he did achieve great things, some might argue that it was down to the calibre of players out on the pitch that did a lot of the work for him.
Rumour probability: 9/10
As stated above, Zidane is the most likely candidate for the job, but it might be his experience that lets him down slightly. Laurent Blanc and Mauricio Pochettino (if he's willing to leave Spurs) will be difficult competitors to surpass, but only time will tell what happens from here.
