Jose Mourinho will meet Manchester United officials on Tuesday for talks about becoming Louis van Gaal’s successor as manager.
Van Gaal, 64, was sacked on Monday, two days after winning the FA Cup, because of the quality of his side’s football.
United finished fifth in the Premier League this season and exited the Champions League at the group stage.
Mourinho, 53, one of the game’s most successful coaches, has been available since Chelsea sacked him in December.
He won three league titles in two spells at Stamford Bridge, and guided Porto and Inter to Champions League victories in 2004 and 2010 respectively.
The Portuguese also led Real Madrid to the Spanish title in 2012, and his appointment would see a resumption of his rivalry with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who takes over at Manchester City this summer.
Former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has backed Mourinho, but said the club will have reservations over his appointment.
Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea after they made a poor start to their title defence, losing nine of their first 16 matches.
He was also involved in a high-profile dispute with club doctor Eva Carneiro, who was dismissed and pursued a constructive dismissal case against the club.
“Mourinho has fallen out with a director of football at a club, a president, a team doctor. He has done things that are not in the way Manchester United want their football club to run,” Schmeichel, 52, told BBC Radio 5 live.
“All these issues would have been brought up and I am sure any decision will have been run by Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton. Without them saying ‘yes’ to him, it would not happen. Therefore, if he comes in, he is a good choice.
“On the top of Mourinho’s list was always Manchester United, now he has the opportunity.
“He will be prepared and ready to do it but he has to go back to the values of the football club – a very strong team consisting of exciting players who create chances and score goals. All that has been missing.
“Now they have a guy that is supposed to be the biggest manager in the world, the one that really could save Manchester United. It has been a brave decision but one that is long overdue.”
