Where did Sir Alex Ferguson and Mourinho – live while managing at Old Trafford?

Ruben Amorim may be looking to overhaul the struggling Manchester United team, but when he arrived in town this month he was already following in the footsteps of his doomed predecessors.

Walking along a well-trodden path, the Portuguese settled at the luxurious five-star Lowry Hotel in the heart of Salford – an award-winning establishment that has included the likes of Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho among its guests in the past.

And it's hardly a surprise. The grounds feature an art gallery full of modern works of art, a spa 'sprinkled with the extraordinary' and the option to book a presidential suite described on Lowry's website as 'somewhat outrageous'.

No matter how comfortable the king-sized beds are and how tasty the dry-aged sirloin steak may be, if Amorim proves to be a hit at Old Trafford, he will one day have to leave his room and find a cozy, elongated room . term stay.

But where could the 39-year-old settle in the long term? Mail Sport delves into the humble abodes of United's past bosses in a bid to find the perfect home for the new man.

Sir Alex Ferguson

Man United's greatest ever manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was at the helm from 1986 to 2013. He won a record thirteen Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies, and his departure caused the club's rapid decline.

He masterminded the Red Devils' ruthless success from his beloved Wilmslow, a chic Cheshire village where a host of footballers lived, first in a mock Tudor mansion called Fairfields, before moving in 2010 to a house that, according to specifications had been built.

The five-bed house was later put up for sale in 2023 following the death of his wife Cathy, aged 84, after 57 years of marriage. It was purchased in April for a reduced price of £3.25 million.

Estate agents had described the mansion as 'deceptively spacious' and 'impressive' on one of Cheshire's most 'desirable' roads.

It featured a beautiful reception room equipped with a wraparound staircase and a grand chandelier, as well as a games room complete with a snooker table and carpets in the Ferguson clan tartan.

David Moyes

After Sir Alex finally parted ways with the club, Everton manager David Moyes took over and presided over a disastrous spell at Old Trafford, which resulted in his dismissal after just ten months in charge.

The Scot had previously managed Preston and appears to have remained in the house he bought on the outskirts of the city in 2006 when he took over at United.

Set in 76 acres of land, the historic Haighton House is a Grade II listed building built in 1820.

Considered the most expensive house in Preston, the property had seven bedrooms and its own private chapel, stable block and tennis court.

Moyes is said to have sold Haighton House to the wealthy Bhailok family for £4.3 million in 2019 while in charge of West Ham.

Louis van Gaal

United looked to put Moyes' atrocious spell as boss behind them by appointing experienced head Louis van Gaal as their next boss in the summer of 2014.

After initially parking at the Lowry, the Dutchman then lived in a £5,500-a-month apartment in the chic Cheshire village of Alderley Edge.

Van Gaal's wife, Truus, was reportedly spotted house hunting in the Alderley Edge area shortly after his appointment and settled on the beautiful estate in the plush area close to star players such as Wayne Rooney, David De Gea and Juan Mata.

When the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss's spell at Old Trafford turned sour, he was reportedly forced to recruit a team of security men to his home to protect him and his wife as fears for his safety mounted.

Around the same time, Van Gaal was said to be looking for a new home in the equally chic Hale. He was sacked by the club in May 2016 despite winning the FA Cup.

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho resigned in a controversial appointment, having managed bitter rivals Chelsea just a year earlier.

The Lowry's biggest fan, 'The Special One', stayed at the chic hotel for the entire duration of his two-year spell as manager.

The Portuguese racked up a bill of around £500,000 prior to his departure in December 2018, spending a whopping 895 days at the establishment.

Mourinho often pointed fingers at him for staying at the hotel, with some suggesting it showed a lack of desire to commit his long-term future to the club.

The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss naturally hit back, saying: 'Do you know how unhappy I would be? I would be unhappy living alone in a house. I should have to clean, I don't want that. I should iron, I don't know how. I should cook, I would cook fried eggs and sausages. That's all I can do.'

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

United then turned to someone with deep ties to the club to rescue the side from its ongoing crisis, with former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hired to take charge.

Fortunately for the Norwegian, he already had property in the area, laying the foundation for a house in Alderley Edge back in 2007.

Having failed to find a buyer for his house when he left the club as a player, he eventually rented it out to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk – meaning Solskjaer initially had to stay at the Lowry Hotel. Where else?

His final 3.4 hectare estate included a media room, a utility room, a storage/AV room, a first floor study, a master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom, four further bedrooms, a garage and a brick outbuilding. with a pool room, dark room and gym.

There was also an extensive backyard and a front paddock with stables.

Erik ten Hag

After taking Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals and countless domestic honours, Erik ten Hag earned a place in the Old Trafford hotseat in 2022.

The Dutchman decided to eschew Mourinho's favorite haunt and eschew the Lowry Hotel as his first pit stop in favor of a penthouse in the city centre.

Ten Hag then settled with his wife in a house in Cheshire, although it is not known exactly where the property was located. Shortly after he left the club, moving vans were seen heading his way.

What is certain is that the manager was a big fan of Piccolino's restaurant in Manchester, with the embattled boss often seen enjoying a meal at the establishment.

He was eventually sacked four weeks ago after months of speculation about his future, leaving successor Amorim the latest man to face the dizzying array of options in the Cheshire property market.