Jose Mourinho says the 2013 Manchester United job was effectively there for him, before he changed course and went back to Chelsea. He says the choice came after leaving Real Madrid, and that he still does not regret it because it was made with his heart. Sir Alex Ferguson’s version is that Mourinho was already accepting before the call came to say he could not break his word.

Mourinho's account of the switch

Mourinho told BBC Sport: "For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was dramatic, but I don't regret (it) because it was a decision that I made with my heart."

He also said he needed to feel loved after Real Madrid. That is the part of the story that runs through his own version of events: the pull back to Stamford Bridge was emotional as much as professional.

The key detail is that Mourinho says he had signed to go to Manchester United after leaving Real Madrid in 2013, then changed his mind and re-joined Chelsea instead. He later got a second chance at Old Trafford in May 2016, won the League Cup and Europa League, and was sacked in December 2018.

Ferguson's version of what happened

Ferguson’s account is more definite. Speaking about the phone call, he said: "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 word'"

That leaves the same broad picture, but with a slightly different edge. Mourinho presents it as a choice he made himself. Ferguson presents it as a job he believed was already on the way to being filled.

Mourinho’s return to Chelsea in 2013 did not end up being a sidestep into obscurity either. He won his third Premier League title and the League Cup after going back to Stamford Bridge. Manchester United finished 3rd in the 2025 Premier League season with 71 points, while Chelsea finished 10th with 52 points, and the clubs’ most recent league meeting in the provided head-to-head data ended 2-1 to United at Old Trafford in September 2025.

The debate over whether he had fully signed for United or only agreed in principle is still there. What is clear is that Mourinho was close enough to make Ferguson believe he was coming, and close enough for Mourinho to describe the miss as dramatic. He now says the deciding factor was loyalty to Chelsea, and that remains the line he is sticking to.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →