HIDDEN STORIES. REVEALED: JOSÉ MOURINHO AGREED TO REPLACE SIR ALEX FERGUSON IN 2013

José Mourinho has revealed that after leaving Real Madrid in 2013, he initially reached an agreement to take charge of Manchester United and succeed the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. However, the Portuguese coach later changed his decision and returned to Chelsea.

Mourinho said:

“When I left Real Madrid in 2013, I agreed to join Manchester United and replace Sir Alex Ferguson.”

“I was very flattered because Manchester United has incredible appeal. When I say that Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, I have to admit that Manchester United is very, very close.”

According to this account, Sir Alex Ferguson also confirmed that the position had been offered to Mourinho:

“We offered him the job. I took him aside and explained the situation. From what I understood, he was on board. Then, within a few hours, everything changed.”

“One evening, he called me crying and said: ‘Alex, I’ve given my word to Chelsea, and I’m not going to break it.’ I understood his reason, but I was disappointed.”

This remains one of the most intriguing “what if?” stories in modern football. Mourinho’s appointment in 2013 could have completely changed the history of both Manchester United and Chelsea.

However, there are different accounts of what happened during that period. In his autobiography, Ferguson wrote that David Moyes was one of the main candidates because Mourinho had already given Roman Abramovich his word that he would return to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho chose Chelsea because of his strong emotional connection with the club and its supporters. He returned to London in the summer of 2013 and went on to win the Premier League title during the 2014/15 season.

Nevertheless, the partnership between Mourinho and Manchester United was only postponed. In 2016, the Portuguese coach finally took charge at Old Trafford, replacing Louis van Gaal.

During his time with the Red Devils, Mourinho won the UEFA Europa League, the EFL Cup and the Community Shield. He also guided the team to second place in the Premier League during the 2017/18 season.

One major question remains: How different would Manchester United’s post-Ferguson era have been if José Mourinho had taken charge in 2013?