José Mourinho reveals he agreed to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013 before choosing an emotional return to Chelsea.
José Mourinho Reveals He Agreed to Replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013
José Mourinho has revealed that he came remarkably close to becoming Manchester United manager in 2013, claiming that he had already reached an agreement to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson before ultimately deciding to return to Chelsea instead. The Portuguese coach has spoken about the episode in a new Netflix documentary, describing a moment in his career that had remained largely unknown despite the enormous attention surrounding Ferguson's retirement at the time. Mourinho explained that the move to Old Trafford was not simply an idea or an informal conversation. According to him, an agreement had effectively been reached, but he changed his mind because he had already given Chelsea his word and felt emotionally drawn towards a return to Stamford Bridge after a difficult final period at Real Madrid.
Mourinho described the decision as one of the most emotional of his career. “I went to Chelsea in 2013, but during that period something happened that nobody knows. I think I can talk about it without hurting anyone. The purpose of this is to tell the truth,” he explained. His account suggests that Manchester United had moved seriously to appoint him as Ferguson's successor and that Mourinho was receptive to the opportunity. However, the timing created a conflict because Chelsea were also working to bring him back for a second spell. After the pressure and difficulties he had experienced during his final months in Madrid, Mourinho said that his priority was not simply choosing the biggest sporting challenge available. He wanted to return somewhere where he felt a strong personal connection and sense of appreciation. “After Real Madrid, I needed to feel loved,” he said, summarising why the emotional pull of Chelsea ultimately proved stronger than the opportunity to take over at Old Trafford.
Ferguson Confirms Mourinho Was Offered the Manchester United Job
Sir Alex Ferguson's appearance in the documentary gives Mourinho's version of events additional weight, with the former Manchester United manager confirming that the Portuguese coach had indeed been offered the position. Ferguson recalled speaking directly with Mourinho and explaining the situation surrounding his retirement, believing at the end of those discussions that Mourinho had accepted the job. According to Ferguson, everything changed within a matter of hours. “Mourinho was indeed offered the job. I spoke to him and explained the situation. I felt that he had accepted it, but within a few hours everything changed,” Ferguson said. The former United manager then described receiving an emotional phone call from Mourinho later that same evening, in which the Portuguese coach explained that he could no longer go through with the move because of the commitment he had already made to Chelsea.
Ferguson's description makes clear how close the appointment came to happening. “That same evening, he called me in tears and said: ‘I can’t do it. I gave Chelsea my word and I’m not going to break it.’ I could understand the reason he gave me, but I was disappointed.” The conversation illustrates the unusual circumstances behind one of the biggest managerial decisions of that period. Mourinho was being presented with the opportunity to replace one of the most successful managers in football history at Manchester United, yet he chose to walk away because he believed breaking his promise to Chelsea would have been wrong. Ferguson may have understood the reasoning, but his admission that he was disappointed shows that he had clearly viewed Mourinho as a genuine candidate to continue the work he had built at Old Trafford.
Mourinho Chose Chelsea With His Heart
For Mourinho, the decision appears to have been driven almost entirely by emotion rather than by a comparison of the sporting projects at Manchester United and Chelsea. He had already enjoyed a hugely successful first spell at Stamford Bridge and had developed a strong relationship with the club, its supporters and the environment around the team. After leaving Real Madrid in difficult circumstances, returning to somewhere familiar carried obvious emotional appeal. Mourinho's explanation that he “needed to feel loved” provides important context for why he rejected what would otherwise have been one of the most prestigious opportunities available to any coach at that moment. Taking over directly from Ferguson would have meant enormous expectations and immediate scrutiny, while Chelsea represented a place where Mourinho already knew exactly what he meant to the club.
The Portuguese coach has made clear that the decision still carries some emotional weight because he understood the magnitude of the opportunity he was turning down. “It was painful to miss the opportunity to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson, but I have no regrets because it was a decision I made with my heart,” Mourinho said. He even referred to Friedrich Nietzsche while explaining the logic behind his choice, adding that he believed the philosopher had once suggested that a person cannot truly do wrong when acting out of love. Whether viewed as sentiment, loyalty or instinct, Mourinho's reasoning was clearly personal. He had already committed himself to Chelsea and was unwilling to reverse that decision even when Manchester United presented him with the chance to become Ferguson's immediate successor.
A Fascinating What-If in Manchester United History
The revelation inevitably creates one of the most intriguing hypothetical questions surrounding Manchester United's recent history. Ferguson's departure in 2013 represented the end of an extraordinary era, and the choice of his successor was always going to shape the club's immediate future. Mourinho had the personality, experience and record of winning major trophies that made him an obvious candidate for such a demanding role, and Ferguson's own confirmation shows that the possibility went far beyond media speculation. Had Mourinho accepted the position, Manchester United would have entered the post-Ferguson period under a manager already accustomed to handling elite players, intense media pressure and expectations of immediate success.
Instead, Mourinho followed his emotional instinct and returned to Chelsea. The decision did not mean that his path and Manchester United's would never cross, but in 2013 he chose loyalty to a promise over the opportunity to inherit Ferguson's position. More than a decade later, both Mourinho and Ferguson can now speak openly about how close it came to happening, and their accounts reveal a remarkably human side to a decision that could easily have been viewed purely through the lens of football ambition. Mourinho had the Manchester United job within reach, Ferguson believed he had accepted it, and within hours everything changed because the Portuguese coach could not bring himself to break his word to Chelsea.
That is what makes the story so striking. Managerial appointments at the highest level are usually discussed in terms of contracts, trophies, tactical projects and financial power, but Mourinho's version centres on something much simpler: emotional attachment. He had just left a difficult period at Real Madrid and wanted to return to an environment where he felt valued. Manchester United offered him the chance to follow Ferguson, but Chelsea offered him the feeling he believed he needed at that moment. Mourinho chose the second option and, despite admitting that losing the opportunity was painful, says he has never regretted making the decision with his heart.
