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| Guardiola (top right), Allegri and Ancelotti (bottom right) are all candidates to replace Van Gaal |
LOUIS VAN GAAL could be sacked unless he can guarantee Manchester United Champions League football next season.
News News Blog Sport understands that if United fail to make the top three in the Premier League - thus securing a group stage spot for next season's Champions League - then club bosses may axe the manager.
United currently sit fourth in the Premier League, three points off leaders Leicester.
A 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg last night brought an end to their European dreams for another season - but Van Gaal's job is safe for now.
Just last week senior sources at Old Trafford insisted they were happy with the progress being made under the 64-year-old and would not rule out extending his contract past 2017.
The same sources said the Premier League was the club's top priority and officials would overlook failure in Europe if Van Gaal could generate success on the domestic front.
But United need the revenues UEFA's elite club competition offers if they are to keep apace with the continent's big spenders.
And owners the Glazer family are aware that fan unrest is growing at Old Trafford.
Should Van Gaal fail to produce results in the Premier League then he may not see out the remainder of his contract.
In fact, the former Netherlands head coach risks being sacked before the end of the season - and there are plenty of names who could replace him.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, 56, is keen to return to the game and would be a popular choice among fans.
“I will continue to wait,” Ancelotti told The Independent this week. “If I don’t find a club with a good project, I can wait.
"What will I do? Watching games, fishing, all these things. But let us see next summer. I will not take a job in mid-season, but I would like to work again next summer.”
Ancelotti has the backing of former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who recently branded the Italian “one of the best coaches in the world".
Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola is another candidate for the job.
The former Barcelona head coach is expected to leave Bundesliga giants Bayern next summer, with Manchester City keen on his services.
Bayern are desperate to keep hold of their manager but are thought to be realistic about those chances, with Guardiola also considering a year-long sabbatical similar to the one he took after leaving Barca in 2012.
Meanwhile, Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri, who is battling to keep his side apace with the title contenders in Serie A this season, is a third choice on the United list of candidates.
Allegri won the title with Juve last season, having taken over the Turin club in 2014 after four years with Milan.
He guided Juve to the Champions League final last season - where they lost 3-1 to Barcelona - and last night saw the club progress to the Champions League knockout stage despite a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla in Group D.
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