5 things Jose Mourinho's potential contract extension means for Manchester United 

Jose Mourinho ended his first year at Manchester United with the Europa League triumph and fans were pumped up for his second season at the club due to the gaffer's exceptional record in the second year of his stint.

But with Manchester City setting new records in the Premier League, Mourinho's men are currently in second place despite playing really well this season. Such has been the impact of City's winning run that some fans were demanding Mourinho's resignation.

But it looks like Jose's here to stay so we take a look at what Mourinho actually brings to the club.

---

#5 Continuing youth development

Jose has often preferred the youngsters over out-of-form seniors

Contrary to the notion that Mourinho does not develop young players, the Portuguese gaffer has stayed true to the United tradition of introducing home-grown talent to the first team.

Jose has introduced the likes of Scott McTominay, Axel Tuanzebe and Angel Gomes to the first team and all 3 are tipped to be stars of the coming generation.

At the same time, Andreas Perreria and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have been sent out on loans to help them develop further and Jose has talked about the potential of the duo on multiple occasions, indicating the fact that they are part of his long-term plan.

With Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard playing week in and week out, it will be a no-brainer for the gaffer to continue fielding the likes of McTominay and Tuanzebe who have been praised by pundits for their development under the Portuguese manager.

#4 His pull and the right contacts

Agent JM

While the youth can be trusted to develop gradually over a period of time, there is often the need to bring in world class players to a club from time to time. For United, there are two factors that work in their favour: The attraction to play under a serial winner and the gaffer having all the right contacts.

Super agents have been gaining popularity in the modern game and the likes of Jorge Mendes and Mino Raiola are as recognizable as the biggest stars,

With the trust and a history of dealing with them, Mourinho already has an upper-hand while dealing with players contracted to them. Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Mkhitaryan and Sergio Romero are all clients of Raiola while Jose and Mendes have a long-standing relationship with each other.

United might not have been successful in the last five years but with the arrival of Mourinho, fans have seen big stars come to Old Trafford to play under him. The expected arrival of Alexis Sanchez to United is an example of Jose's pull (and the team's wealth) over the world's elite.

#3 Managing egos comfortably

High profile do not worry Jose

Mourinho has brought back a certain aura that Manchester United had with Sir Alex Ferguson back in the day. The legendary manager has a way with the media and was always excellent with the big names that United had in their dressing room.

With Jose, United have a man with swagger who knows how to control the egos of the likes of Ibrahimovic, Pogba and De Gea to name a few and retain a healthy atmosphere within the squad.

It is an underrated ability for a manager but Jose does it so well that it often goes unnoticed. Managing Mario Balotelli at Inter and the galacticos at Real Madrid were not easy jobs but Jose fared well on both those occasions.

In Jose, United will have a manager capable of keeping everyone happy and someone who can keep the dressing room together.

#2 Much needed stability

The Europa League triumph meant a lot to him

What Jose has given to every United fan is that peace of mind that comes with the assurance that the Red Devils are moving in the right direction.

Much has been talked about the negative manoeuvers deployed in big games and 'Park the Bus' tactics that are deployed to save slender leads, but the truth is that no United fan would trade the three trophies from last season for beautiful, fluid football.

Mourinho might not play the 'United way' but he knows how to get results. With this contract extension, he provides the guarantee that the vision he has for the club will be seen through to the end.

Too much chopping and changing in the managerial role has hurt United but the promise that he is willing to stay at the club will ensure that the backroom staff, as well as the players he has brought in, have an idea about his tactics and the way he works- something which will ultimately benefit the club.

#1 Long-term success

Much more to come?

Jose has used the transfer windows until now to shape this United team according to his liking. The spine of the club has been formed entirely from his signings as the Bailly-Pogba-Lukaku backbone that runs through the pitch is a setup for the long term.

Apart from Zlatan and Mkhitaryan, all other Mourinho acquisitions look like they are here to stay for a number of years.

After the debacle under David Moyes in 2013-14 and the lethargic game they played for two seasons under Louis Van Gaal, United need Mourinho to stay for a long time in order to get the club back to winning ways. With a young set of players working under his tutelage, Jose is well placed for the success he craves at United.