José Mourinho signed deal to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd in 2013

August 10, 2026 • 0 • min read

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José Mourinho signed deal to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd in 2013

KEY TAKEAWAYS

José Mourinho says he signed to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013.
He changed course after deciding to return to Chelsea.
Ferguson confirmed he had expected Mourinho to take the job.

José Mourinho has revealed that he signed an agreement to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013, only to change his mind and return to Chelsea instead.

The long-standing secret was disclosed in Mourinho, a new Netflix documentary series about the Portuguese boss' career, which is released on 11 August.

Manchester United deal was signed before Chelsea U-turn

Mourinho said he had agreed to move to Old Trafford after leaving Real Madrid, where he had spent three seasons.

When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.

Ferguson, who retired at the end of the 2012/13 season after winning 13 Premier League titles during his 26-year reign at United, confirmed Mourinho's account.

He was offered the job, yes. I sat him down and explained the situation. As far as I was concerned, he was accepting. And then, within hours, it changed.

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Mourinho chose Chelsea over Manchester United

The dramatic change of heart centred on Mourinho's relationship with Chelsea.

Having already enjoyed two Premier League title-winning campaigns at Stamford Bridge in 2005 and 2006, Mourinho had been strongly drawn towards a return to the club following his departure from Madrid.

Ferguson recalled receiving an emotional phone call from Mourinho shortly after their agreement.

Early evening 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."

The reason he gave to me I could understand, but I was disappointed.

For Mourinho, the decision was not ultimately about which club offered the bigger job. It was about where he felt emotionally connected.

I was, of course, very flattered, because Manchester United has an incredible appeal.

When I say Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, I have to say that Manchester United is very, very close.

But one thing is love for football, and another thing is love for a certain club. I think this is more powerful than love for football and fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I'm loved.

Mourinho therefore returned to Chelsea in 2013 rather than becoming Ferguson's successor.

Chelsea return delivered another Premier League title

The decision proved successful in the short term.

Mourinho guided Chelsea to their third Premier League title under his management in the 2014/15 season, adding another League Cup to the two trophies he had already won during his first spell at Stamford Bridge.

His second Chelsea tenure eventually ended in December 2015, but the relationship with United was not finished.

In May 2016, Mourinho finally took charge at Old Trafford, succeeding Louis van Gaal.

During his two-and-a-half-year spell at United, he won the League Cup and Europa League, whilst also finishing second in the Premier League in the 2017/18 season.

He was dismissed in December 2018 following a poor run of results.

'I don't regret' rejecting Manchester United in 2013

Looking back, Mourinho regards the decision to turn down United as one he made for emotional reasons rather than sporting ones.

For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was dramatic, but I don't regret because it was a decision that I made with my heart.

I did it for love.

Mourinho also explained that returning to Chelsea carried a sense of coming home, although he recognised the pressure that came with following his own successful first spell.

I went back with the feeling of, "Yes, I go home," but with big responsibility because what I did before is history, and you don't want to destroy your legacy.

A pivotal moment in Manchester United's post-Ferguson era

Mourinho's revelation adds another layer to one of the most consequential managerial transitions in modern Premier League history.

Instead of replacing Ferguson, Mourinho returned to Chelsea, whilst United appointed David Moyes as Ferguson's successor in 2013.

Moyes lasted less than a full season before being dismissed, beginning a period of managerial instability at Old Trafford.

Mourinho eventually arrived at United three years later, but by then the club had already gone through Moyes and van Gaal.

His revelation therefore offers a rare glimpse into how differently United's post-Ferguson era might have unfolded had he followed through with the agreement he says he had already signed.

For Mourinho, however, the decision remains one he believes was dictated by his emotional connection with Chelsea.