Jose Mourinho spotted in London with trusted lieutenant Rui Faria as Manchester United move edges closer... so, were they discussing Old Trafford plan?

Jose Mourinho believes it is a 'done deal' that he will take over at Manchester United this summer and it appears the former Chelsea manager is already making plans after being spotted with his right-hand man.

The Portuguese tactician was snapped on Thursday near his home in London with the most trusted member of his backroom team Rui Faria.

Jose Mourinho (right) was pictured in London on Thursday alongside long-time lieutenant Rui Faria (centre)

Although it is understood there is no formal agreement for Mourinho to replace under fire Louis van Gaal at the end of the season, the 53-year-old is convinced the job is his and, as revealed by Sportsmail this week, has already told friends he will take over at Old Trafford.

The former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss, wearing a grey jumper and black tracksuit trousers, was pictured with Faria and another man in photographs that are exclusive to Sportsmail.

Mourinho, who has been out of work since he was axed by Chelsea in December following a disastrous first half of the season, is certain to instil compatriot Faria as part of his backroom staff if indeed he does take the United hotseat.

Mourinho (right) and Faria (centre) have worked together at every club the Portuguese has managed

Faria has worked alongside Mourinho throughout his managerial career from the humble beginnings at Uniao de Leiria in 2001 before following him to Porto and eventually to England, Italy, Spain and back to England.

Starting out as a fitness coach, his role in the dressing room has developed into so much more with Mourinho labelling him his: 'methodology right arm, the guy that understands best my information and the way I work'.

The fiery Faria was hit with a six-match ban after Chelsea's 2-1 defeat against Sunderland last season following an angry outburst towards referee Mike Dean.

He also famously wore a hat and was alleged to have communicated with Mourinho, who was banned from having any influence on the game for disciplinary reasons, via an earpiece during Chelsea's Champions League clash against Bayern Munich in 2005.

While United supporters, who have had to put up with a style of football under Van Gaal completely out of kilter with the club's long-standing traditions, would surely be delighted to see the Special One take over, not everyone at Old Trafford shares that view.

Manchester United's players and staff are worried about the negative impact Mourinho would have on the club if he succeeds Van Gaal in the summer.

Mourinho pictured watching Hertha Berlin against Dortmund last week and again had Faria (left) by his side

There are concerns that Ryan Giggs (right) would not hang around to integrate himself into another new regime

The prospect of working under the 53-year-old Portuguese coach next season has been met with a degree of consternation around the club’s Carrington training base.

There are also concerns that Ryan Giggs would not hang around to integrate himself into another new regime, having had to sit alongside David Moyes and Van Gaal while United have slipped into decline.

It would be no surprise at all if Giggs saw his immediate future away from Old Trafford after being linked with Swansea and Celtic in recent months.

Meanwhile, one man who knows Mourinho better than most has no doubts he could handle taking the reins at Old Trafford.

Former Chelsea stalwart Frank Lampard, who played under Mourinho during both the Portuguese's spells at Stamford Bridge, admits he isn't sure about his former boss' next move but says it will be at a big club.

Mourinho 'could certainly handle a club like that [United]', Frank Lampard told ITV's This Morning on Thursday

Mourinho pictured watching Hertha Berlin against Dortmund last week and again had Faria (left) by his side

Speaking on ITV's This Morning on Thursday morning Lampard said: 'I don't know (where he will end up). I haven't spoken to him much. I spoke to him briefly when he left Chelsea.

'There's a bit of a merry-go-round of managers at the minute and I think he'll probably sit tight for a while and then will end up at a big club somewhere, because he's a great manager.'

Asked whether that big club might be United, Lampard added: 'I think it's a possibility.

'If Louis van Gaal goes on, which I think he's said he's going to leave at the end of the season at the latest, I think Mourinho's the type of manager that will certainly come into their thinking.

'He could certainly handle a club like that, that's what he's about.'