ESPN has revealed that Jose Mourinho signed a contract to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013, but tearfully turned back on the deal and returned to Chelsea. This revelation sheds new light on the circumstances surrounding Ferguson's retirement and the subsequent appointment of David Moyes as United's manager.
Mourinho's decision to turn down the Manchester United job was reportedly motivated by his desire to be loved by a club, rather than just being a football manager. He has spoken about the strong bond he formed with Chelsea during his first spell at the club, where he led them to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups.
Sir Alex Ferguson was under the illusion that Mourinho was accepting the offer to succeed him, but the situation changed in a matter of hours. Mourinho has since spoken about the decision, stating that he did it for love and that he doesn't regret it. He has also spoken about the responsibility he felt in returning to Chelsea, where he won another league crown and League Cup before being fired in December 2015.
Mourinho's first LaLiga game as Real Madrid coach is at Espanyol on Aug. 22 as he tries to help the team rebound from a 2025-26 campaign that returned no trophies.