Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Jose Mourinho will stay with Real Madrid next season.

Ferguson delivered a blow to all those eyeing Mourinho as their next manager, stating that he believed his friend would be staying at the Bernabeu next season and beyond.

"You see all these things on Mourinho, but he has two years left on his contract," said Ferguson. "Everyone assumes he'll leave - but I heard that last year too.

"I don't know how they can replace someone like him anyway. A reasonable assessment of his time at Madrid has got to be with how good Barcelona have been. They've been exceptional.

"It's possible - there's no smoke without fire I suppose. But he has given me no indication that he will leave."