Club legend Ryan Giggs had been expected to take over when the Dutchman's deal expires in 2017 but the Bayern boss is on their radar for NEXT summerLouis van Gaal has confirmed that he WILL walk away from Manchester United in 2017.
The 64-year-old Dutchman, who signed a three-year contract when he arrived at Old Trafford last summer, insists he will not be reversing his decision to retire in 18 months’ time.
But while Van Gaal is grooming his No 2 Ryan Giggs to be the next Old Trafford manager, those above him have other ideas.
Sunday Mirror Sport understands Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is also on their radar.
Former Barcelona boss Guardiola is refusing to sign a new deal and is planning to quit the German giants at the end of this season.
That would leave United’s hierarchy in a quandary as Van Gaal would still have a year left to run on his contract at that point.
Van Gaal has spent £90million on young players such as Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay and Luke Shaw but admitted: “It would be difficult to see this team reach its potential because that would mean I would have to stay.
“You have seen what I have said about that - and I always do the things I have said.
"I am a trainer-coach who believes in youth and I believe I have a very good eye for young talent.
"Of course, it is easier to buy the big stars, but the big stars can also fail — as we have seen last year [when United bought Angel Di Maria for a British record £59.7m only to sell him to Paris Saint-Germain after one season]. And that is why I have always said you have to invest in young players.
"Okay, I know they are not ready yet, but that is why I have said that this team is more for my successor than for myself."
Van Gaal has a history of bequeathing teams that have gone on to achieve great things — his work at Barcelona and Bayern only fully came to fruition after he had left both clubs.
And while some United fans are struggling to accept Van Gaal's possession-based philosophy after decades of watching Sir Alex Ferguson's teams go on the all-out offensive, the Dutchman insists the pain will be worth it.
He said: "When you see my career, you can see that a lot of youngsters came through to be the guardians of the culture of the club once I had left. That is important.
"When I was left Barcelona, Xavi became the captain, then Iniesta was captain. There was also Valdes and for 10 years they were the backbone of the club and the culture.
"In Munich now there is Muller, Alaba, Badstuber. It is the same as Barcelona.
"Schweinsteiger was another player, but now he has come here, it is the other three who are the guardians of the culture.
"Maybe when I am gone from United, Shaw will be the guardian of the culture, or Januzaj, or Martial."
Van Gaal also insisted that while he has invested a fortune in signings for United's future, he hasn't forgotten about an Academy that has produced so many great players in the past.
Adnan Januzaj and Tyler Blackett have been allowed to leave on loan to Borussia Dortmund and Celtic respectively.
But, with United facing Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday, the Dutchman claims he is a big admirer of the way the south coast club nurtures their own stars.
Van Gaal said: "There are clubs in the Premier League who are forced to invest in youth education. I believe in that kind of culture. That is more or less an argument to come here to Manchester because we also have a culture to play with young players.
"It is important for us to educate young players in the culture of Manchester United and we have seen the Class of '92, for example.
The Class of 92
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