Mourinho Reveals He Agreed to Succeed Ferguson at Man Utd in 2013

Jose Mourinho has revealed he agreed to become Manchester United manager in 2013, succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, before reversing his decision within hours to return to Chelsea instead. The disclosure, made in a new Netflix documentary series, confirms long-standing speculation about the Portuguese coach's near-move to Old Trafford following Ferguson's retirement.

Mourinho stated that after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the 2012-13 season, he had committed to taking over at United. "When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex," the 63-year-old said. Ferguson, who retired in May 2013 after 26 years and 13 Premier League titles at the club, corroborated the account. "He was offered the job, yes," Ferguson confirmed. "I sat him down and explained the situation. As far as I was concerned, he was accepting. And then, within hours, it changed."

The change of heart came from an emotional pull back to Chelsea, where Mourinho had previously won two Premier League titles. Ferguson recalled a phone call from Mourinho. "One night, 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...