Jose Mourinho reveals he signed deal to replace Alex Ferguson at Man Utd before Chelsea U-turn

Mourinho has revealed that he actually signed a contract to replace Ferguson at United in the summer of 2013. The Portuguese tactician was lined up to take charge at Old Trafford following his departure from Madrid. However, Mourinho emotionally pulled out of the agreement to return to Chelsea, leaving United to appoint David Moyes as Ferguson's successor.

Behind his major decision to turn down the Red Devils, emotional factors and his strong bond with Stamford Bridge proved to be the primary reasons for his sudden U-turn.

Disclosing the long-held secret in the Netflix documentary 'Mourinho', the coach stated: "I go to Chelsea in 2013 but in that period there is something nobody knows. I think I can say because I don't hurt anyone with the truth, and I think the objective of this work that we are doing is to tell the truth. When I left Real Madrid, I signed with Manchester United to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.

"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."

Ferguson confirmed the sequence of events, recalling the moment Mourinho called to break the news: "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."

That emotional choice ultimately yielded a third Premier League title for Mourinho with Chelsea in the 2014-15 season, before he eventually took charge at United in 2016.

Reflecting on his dramatic career path, the former Benfica boss added: "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. And I think it is nature that says something that when you do something for love, you are never doing anything wrong. I think it's nature. I did it for love.

"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."

This historic revelation offers fresh insight into the post-Ferguson transition that disrupted United's era of dominance, with the club failing to win a Premier League title since his departure. Now back in charge of Los Blancos, the behind-the-scenes disclosure only cements his reputation as one of modern football's most compelling figures