Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about the sequence of events in 2013 that prevented Jose Mourinho from becoming his immediate successor at Old Trafford. Following the announcement of Ferguson's retirement after nearly three decades at the helm, an agreement had been in place for Mourinho to take over the role.
However, the transition did not materialize that summer. According to a recent Netflix documentary titled 'Mourinho,' the Portuguese coach explained that he had already committed his future to Chelsea. Mourinho stated that although he was deeply flattered by the offer from Manchester United—a club he views as being very close in stature to Real Madrid—he felt compelled to honor a prior agreement. He emphasized that while he holds a love for football, the need to feel personally valued after his stint at Real Madrid played a significant role in his decision-making process.
Sir Alex Ferguson recalled the specific moment he received the news, noting that Mourinho reached out via telephone in the early evening. Ferguson recounted that Mourinho was visibly emotional during the conversation, stating, "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'." While Ferguson admitted to being disappointed by the outcome, he noted that he could understand the reasoning behind Mourinho's decision.
Mourinho eventually joined Manchester United three years later, managing the club from 2016 to 2018. During his two-and-a-half-season tenure, he oversaw 144 matches, securing 84 wins and suffering 28 defeats. His time at Old Trafford included winning the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League in the 2016-17 season, alongside a victory in the FA Community Shield against Leicester City. Mourinho also led the team to a second-place finish in the 2017-18 campaign, trailing Manchester City by 19 points. He ultimately departed the club in December 2018 with the team in sixth place.
