5 Potential Successors for Louis van Gaal at Manchester United

Louis van Gaal’s job at Manchester United should be safe for the time being.

There have been huge changes at the club in recent times. Thus, United are probably best served by trusting the Dutchman will be true to his history as a manager and find a way to bring success.

Assuming he remains in charge for a couple more seasons, who is in the running to replace him?

Given how poorly the succession planning for Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure was executed, and given that Van Gaal’s age and career history suggests he will not be around for the long term, United should already be thinking about his successor.

Who are some realistic options for the Red Devils to consider once Van Gaal retires, having won and retained the Champions League, of course?

Pep Guardiola

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Pep Guardiola’s managerial career has been defined by success. First at Barcelona and then at Bayern Munich, he has taken charge of excellent sides and built them into something even more impressive.

In the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley, Guardiola’s Barca demolished United playing some of the best football this writer has ever seen. Bayern Munich have not yet won the Champions League under him, but their domestic dominance and some of their individual European performances have been almost as impressive.

He has previously spoken of his interest in managing United, per Marti Perarnau's book Pep Confidential: The Inside Story of Pep Guardiola's First Season at Bayern Munich (h/t the Guardian), and would be a superb fit for a post-Van Gaal United. If the timing is right, he should be the first choice.

Jurgen Klopp

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With Borussia Dortmund’s difficult start to this season beginning to look like the blip many believed it to be, the self-confessed fan of "heavy-metal football" would be a perfect fit for United. The style of play that has typified Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund would be a perfect tonic for those who find the possession-based approach of Van Gaal to be slightly too clinical.

Dortmund under Klopp have been nothing if not electrifying, and watching them often brings to mind the United of the '90s. Klopp would represent a change of approach from Van Gaal, which may be welcomed if the Dutchman does not manage to bring success.

Carlo Ancelotti

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Carlo Ancelotti’s managerial history is littered with success.

The unique nature of Real Madrid means the manager who won them the Champions League last season and is still competing to both retain that title and win their domestic league recently needed a public vote of confidence from their president, per Reuters (h/t the Guardian).

Ancelotti’s understated style has made him an excellent fit to get the best out of his current superstars, and if United are to continue to be in the market for established world stars, Ancelotti could be a good choice.

Ryan Giggs

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Ryan Giggs’ managerial inexperience would, of course, count against him. However, a few seasons of Van Gaal’s guidance combined with his history with the club might just make him worth the gamble. Van Gaal has a history of teaching great coaches.

Guardiola played for him and Jose Mourinho worked for him, and they are not alone in having a history with the Dutchman among the elite coaching fraternity. The current managers of Ajax and Barcelona both spent time under his charge.

If Giggs can combine the lessons he learned from Sir Alex Ferugson with the more cerebral approach of Van Gaal, it may be a risk worth taking.

Jose Mourinho

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It is easy to imagine that not getting the job after Sir Alex might have permanently soured Jose Mourinho’s feeling toward the club. If rumours of his intense reaction to not getting the job are accurate, per Diego Torres' book "Prepare to Lose: The Mourinho Era" (h/t the Guardian), then bridges may have been burnt. 

Whatever the logic for not giving Mourinho the job immediately after Sir Alex, presumably those reasons still apply. However, given his superb record, he will surely be part of the conversation.