Jose Mourinho reveals he signed deal to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd before dramatic U-turn
Jose Mourinho has revealed that he had agreed to become Manchester United manager and succeed Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, only to make an extraordinary U-turn and return to Chelsea instead.
The Portuguese manager has opened up about one of the biggest untold stories of his career in the new Netflix documentary series MOURINHO, revealing just how close he came to taking charge at Old Trafford immediately after Ferguson’s retirement.
For years, David Moyes has been remembered as the man chosen to follow Ferguson after the legendary Scottish manager ended his remarkable 26-year reign at Manchester United.
But Mourinho has now claimed that the story could have played out very differently.
Mourinho says he had signed with Manchester United
Mourinho was preparing to leave Real Madrid at the end of the 2012/13 season when Manchester United were searching for the almost impossible task of finding Ferguson’s successor.
Speaking in the documentary, Mourinho revealed that he had already committed himself to United.
“When I left Real Madrid, I signed with Manchester United to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.”
The revelation suggests Mourinho was far closer to the Old Trafford job than had previously been publicly understood.
He also admitted that the opportunity carried enormous appeal. Mourinho described Manchester United as a club extremely close to Real Madrid in terms of global stature and acknowledged how significant it would have been to become the manager directly following Ferguson.
There was, however, another club pulling him in the opposite direction.
Why Mourinho changed his mind
Mourinho had already built a powerful emotional connection with Chelsea during his first spell at Stamford Bridge between 2004 and 2007.
He had won back-to-back Premier League titles with the London club, as well as the FA Cup and two League Cups, while establishing himself as one of the most iconic managers in Chelsea’s history.
By 2013, the possibility of returning to Stamford Bridge had emerged. Ultimately, that emotional attachment proved stronger than the opportunity to inherit Ferguson’s position at Manchester United.
Mourinho explained that there was a difference between loving football and loving a particular club. After an intense three-year spell at Real Madrid, he felt he needed to return somewhere he knew he was loved.
That place was Chelsea.
Sir Alex Ferguson confirms Mourinho’s emotional phone call
Perhaps the most remarkable part of the story is that Ferguson himself confirms Mourinho’s account in the Netflix documentary.
According to the former United manager, he initially believed Mourinho was going to accept the job. The situation then changed dramatically within a matter of hours.
Ferguson revealed that Mourinho called him later that day in tears and explained that he could no longer take the United position because he had already given his word to Chelsea and refused to break that promise.
Ferguson understood Mourinho’s reasoning, although he admitted the outcome left him disappointed.
“The reason he gave to me I could understand, but I was disappointed.”
United instead appointed David Moyes, who had spent more than a decade managing Everton. Moyes lasted just 10 months at Old Trafford before being dismissed in April 2014.
Mourinho says he has no regrets
Looking back more than a decade later, Mourinho admitted that walking away from the opportunity to directly succeed Ferguson was a huge decision.
He described losing that chance as dramatic, but insisted he still does not regret choosing Chelsea because the decision was made with his heart.
Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2013 and went on to win another Premier League title and League Cup during his second spell before leaving the club in December 2015.
There was still another twist to come.
Mourinho eventually became Manchester United manager
Three years after turning down the chance to immediately replace Ferguson, Mourinho finally arrived at Old Trafford.
Manchester United officially appointed him manager on May 27, 2016, following the departure of Louis van Gaal.
His first season produced three pieces of silverware, including the Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League. The European triumph was particularly significant, completing Manchester United’s collection of major UEFA trophies.
Mourinho also guided United to second place in the Premier League during the 2017/18 campaign before his tenure ended in December 2018.
But his latest revelation inevitably raises one of the great “what if?” questions in modern Premier League history.
What would Manchester United’s post-Ferguson era have looked like if Mourinho had walked into Old Trafford in 2013 rather than three years later?
More than 13 years on, football finally has a clearer picture of just how close that alternate reality came to happening.
