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Jose Mourinho has revealed that he initially agreed to become Manchester United manager in 2013 before changing his mind and returning to Chelsea.
Mourinho made the revelation in a new Netflix documentary series about his career, explaining that he had accepted the opportunity to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson after leaving Real Madrid.
“When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex,” Mourinho said, according to BBC Sport.
Ferguson also confirmed that Mourinho had initially agreed to take over at Old Trafford following his retirement.
“I sat him down and explained the situation. As far as I was concerned, he was accepting. And then, within hours, it changed,” Ferguson recalled.
Mourinho ultimately chose Chelsea, where he had previously won two Premier League titles, saying he could not turn down the club after giving his word.
Ferguson recalled Mourinho calling him to explain his decision, saying, “Alex, I can’t take it. I’ve given my word to Chelsea and I’m not going to break my word.”
Although Ferguson said he understood Mourinho’s reason, he admitted that he was disappointed by the decision.
Mourinho said he was “very flattered” by the opportunity to succeed Ferguson but believed his emotional connection with Chelsea was stronger at the time.
“But one thing is love for football, another thing is love for a certain club,” he said.
“I think this is more powerful than love for football and fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I’m loved.”
Mourinho acknowledged that missing the opportunity to succeed Ferguson was a major moment in his career but said he had no regrets about choosing Chelsea.
“For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was dramatic, but I don’t regret it because it was a decision that I made with my heart,” he said.
Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013 and went on to win the Premier League title and League Cup during his second spell at the club.
He eventually became Manchester United manager in 2016, succeeding Louis van Gaal.
During his two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League before being dismissed in December 2018 following a poor run of results.
His latest revelation has renewed interest in what might have happened at Manchester United had he accepted the job in 2013 and taken charge immediately after Ferguson’s retirement.
