Mourinho: I Agreed to Succeed Ferguson at Man United in 2013, But Chose Chelsea

Mourinho reveals he had agreed to become Man United manager after Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 but chose Chelsea instead, saying he followed his heart.

Jose Mourinho has revealed that he agreed to become Manchester United manager in 2013 as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor 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 already agreed to take over at Old Trafford after leaving Real Madrid.

“When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex,” Mourinho said.

Ferguson, who retired at the end of the 2012/13 season, confirmed that Mourinho had initially accepted the offer.

“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.

According to Ferguson, Mourinho later called him to explain that he had decided to return to Chelsea instead.

“One night, he phoned me and he was crying and he says, ‘Alex, I can’t take it. I’ve given my word to Chelsea and I’m not going to break my word’,” Ferguson said.

Mourinho said he was deeply honoured by the opportunity to succeed Ferguson at Manchester United but ultimately followed his emotions.

“But one thing is love for football, another thing is love for a certain club,” he said.

The Portuguese manager explained that after leaving Real Madrid, he wanted to return to a club where he felt loved.

“I think this is more powerful than love for football and fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I’m loved,” Mourinho said.

He admitted that missing the opportunity to succeed Ferguson was a painful decision but insisted that he had no regrets.

“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 won another Premier League title and the League Cup during his second spell at Stamford Bridge.

He eventually joined Manchester United in 2016, succeeding Louis van Gaal.

Mourinho spent two and a half years at Old Trafford, winning the League Cup and Europa League before being dismissed in December 2018.

His latest revelation has renewed interest in what Manchester United’s post-Ferguson era might have looked like had Mourinho followed through with the agreement in 2013.