Mourinho reveals he agreed to take Man United job in 2013
What's new: He said he backed out within hours because he had already given Chelsea his word and later returned to United in 2016.
Jose Mourinho said he had agreed to succeed Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013 before reversing course and returning to Chelsea instead. In a Netflix documentary released this week, Mourinho said he signed on after leaving Real Madrid but felt he could not break a prior commitment to Chelsea. Ferguson, who retired after 26 years at Old Trafford, said Mourinho called him later and withdrew. United then turned to David Moyes, whose stint lasted 10 months. Mourinho eventually took charge at United in 2016, winning the League Cup and Europa League before his exit in 2018. The revelation adds a new chapter to a succession decision long viewed as a turning point for the club.