Schmeichel believes a move to appoint Mourinho has been in the works for some time.

He told Sky Sports News: "I'm convinced this has been going on for a long time, with a lot of meetings taking place.

"Meetings with Mourinho, what kind of role he should have, how his managerial style is, meetings with Sir Bobby (Charlton), Sir Alex (Ferguson), so he's got a feeling of how he wants the club to go.

"I always expected Jose Mourinho to have Manchester United at the very top of his list - his dream job. I think he can be an absolute success but has a lot to prove.

"I'm looking forward to this next period and hopefully he will give all fans belief that all is well and they are going in the right direction."

Ex-United midfielder Paul Scholes thinks that a lack of improvement from last season eventually cost Van Gaal his job.

He said: "You always feel sorry for someone who loses his job but it didn't quite work. He got them back into the Champions League in his first year but I don't think there was any improvement from that.

"United fans expect a certain style of play, attacking, it didn't come, which hopefully the new manager will bring them."

Scholes would be disappointed to see Ryan Giggs leave the club, with reports suggesting the former winger is considering ending his near 28-year association with the club.

Giggs reportedly has an offer to stay on at United, although it is unclear what that role would be having been assistant to Van Gaal.

Scholes added: "If Ryan wants to go away and manage I'm sure he'd be very good at it but I'd be sad if he left the club after more than 20 years. He knows how the club works.

"It depends what Mourinho wants him to do - it's all down to personal preference."

Schmeichel believes Giggs can only improve his coaching ability by leaving Old Trafford.

The Dane thinks it is time for Giggs to move on as a manager elsewhere before returning one day to the top job at United.

Schmeichel said: "It depends what Ryan's ambitions are. His big dream is to one day manage Manchester United and I think he could do that but he has to go away and manage other clubs, stand on his own two feet, get his own ideas rather than step up and be manager.

"I would like to see him come back one day prepared for the challenge because we've seen in the last three years it's a hard job. He has got to have so many different qualities and abilities and you only get that by experience."

Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger thanked Van Gaal and looked forward to the arrival of Mourinho.

Speaking at a press conference in Germany's pre-Euro 2016 training camp in Ascona, the midfielder said: "I think Louis van Gaal and I have a very special relationship - he moved me into the centre of the midfield at Bayern and I've got a lot to thank him for.

"Also, my move to United was because of him. I will never say any bad words about somebody for whom I have so much to thank.

"Quite the opposite - even if we were not always of the same opinion, we had a good relationship. I admire him as a coach and despite a difficult season with really much injury misfortune, he still ended it with a good title.

"It's been two years since United last won a title and I think that was a good ending also for him."

On the future, he added: "We don't know who will be our new manager yet, but it looks like it's going to be an interesting derby in Manchester next season.

"The enthusiasm for football in Manchester is great and if Mourinho does take over at United, I think all of the players want to train under him so it's going to be quite a special season."