Former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed Jose Mourinho to restore Manchester United to their former glories if he is given the time.

Mourinho is expected to be named as the new United boss later this week after his representatives met with club officials today.

The Portuguese manager would succeed Louis van Gaal in the Old Trafford hotseat after the Dutchman failed to steer United to a top-four finish this season, and Ancelotti believes that it would be a good appointment.

"Mourinho will be a fantastic signing for United to improve and be better than the last two years. The job of Van Gaal was not easy, he had to rebuild the team," he told BBC Sport.

"Sir Alex Ferguson and a lot of the players left so they have to rebuild the identity and the personality of the team. It takes time. In football, you need time to build something."

United legend Eric Cantona, on the other hand, has claimed that Mourinho will not be a good fit for the club.