LONDON — Football history could have looked very different.
In a stunning revelation, José Mourinho has disclosed that he had agreed to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in the summer of 2013, before changing his mind at the last minute and returning to Chelsea.
For years, the story was that David Moyes had always been Manchester United’s first choice to replace Sir Alex. But Mourinho’s latest comments suggest the truth behind the scenes was far more complicated.
THE SUMMER EVERYTHING CHANGED
May 2013.
After 26 years, 38 trophies, and turning Manchester United into the dominant force in English football, Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement. The news sent shockwaves across the football world.
Immediately, the question on everyone’s lips was: Who can possibly replace him?
One name kept coming up. José Mourinho.
He had just finished a second spell at Real Madrid. He was a Champions League winner with Porto and Inter Milan. He had already won the Premier League with Chelsea. He had the personality, the winning record, and the experience to handle the biggest job in England.
Now, Mourinho says Manchester United did approach him. And the talks went far.
According to Mourinho, discussions with United progressed to the point where he had effectively agreed to take the job at Old Trafford.
"The opportunity was huge," Mourinho said. "For me, Real Madrid is still the biggest club in the world. But Manchester United is right there with them. The history, the fans, the global reach... it’s massive."
So what happened? Why didn’t he take it?
THE PHONE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The most surprising part of the story is how it ended.
Sir Alex Ferguson has now confirmed Mourinho’s account. Ferguson said United did approach Mourinho and that he personally spoke with him. He believed a deal was in place.
Then Mourinho called him.
Ferguson recalled that Mourinho told him he had already given his word to Chelsea and that he could not go back on that promise.
"I understand," Ferguson reportedly said. "But I was disappointed. Because I knew he was the right man."
Mourinho chose loyalty over opportunity. He had made a commitment to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and decided to honor it, even though it meant turning down Manchester United.
That one decision changed the course of football history.
FROM MOURINHO TO MOYES
With Mourinho out of the picture, Manchester United turned to David Moyes.
Moyes had done an excellent job at Everton for 11 years. But going from Everton straight to replacing Sir Alex Ferguson was always going to be one of the toughest jobs in sport.
It didn’t work out.
Moyes struggled with the pressure, the expectations, and the size of the club. United finished 7th in the league, their worst finish in the Premier League era. Less than a year later, he was sacked.
That began a period of instability at Old Trafford. Since Ferguson left in 2013, United have had 6 permanent managers: Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer, Rangnick, and Ten Hag.
Trophies have come, but the consistency and dominance United had under Ferguson have not returned.
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MOURINHO GOES BACK TO CHELSEA: "THE HAPPY ONE"
While United were struggling, Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge.
He famously called himself "The Happy One" in his second spell at Chelsea. And he had reason to be happy.
In the 2014-15 season, Mourinho led Chelsea to the Premier League title. He also won the League Cup that year. It was another reminder of why he is considered one of the best managers of his generation.
For Mourinho, going back to Chelsea made sense. He knew the club. He knew the fans. He knew the league.
But for Manchester United fans, it was the start of a long "what if."
THE BIG "WHAT IF": WHAT IF MOURINHO HAD JOINED IN 2013?
This is the debate that will never die.
Many believe that if Mourinho had taken the United job in 2013, the club’s post-Ferguson era would have been completely different.
Mourinho in 2013 was at his peak. He was coming off Real Madrid. He had just managed Cristiano Ronaldo, built teams around winners, and thrived under pressure. United needed exactly that type of personality to steady the ship.
Supporters argue he could have prevented the 7th place finish. He could have kept United competing for the title every year. He could have given the club the winning mentality it needed during a transition.
Others are not so sure.
Replacing Sir Alex was never going to be easy for anyone. The expectation to play "the United way," the pressure from the media, the size of the rebuild... it broke many good managers. Even Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp would have found it difficult.
We will never know. But the possibility is what makes the story so fascinating.
MOURINHO FINALLY ARRIVES AT UNITED IN 2016
Ironically, Mourinho did end up at Manchester United.
Three years later, in 2016, after Louis van Gaal was sacked, United finally appointed him.
And he delivered silverware. In his first season, he won the EFL Cup, the Community Shield, and the UEFA Europa League. The Europa League win was especially important because it put United back into the Champions League.
But the Premier League title never came. By 2018, relationships with players and the board broke down. Results became inconsistent.
United sacked him in December 2018.
So even when "The Special One" finally arrived at Old Trafford, it was too late to recreate the Ferguson era.
ONE PROMISE, ONE DIFFERENT FUTURE
When you look back, it all comes down to one phone call.
One promise made to Chelsea.
If Mourinho had not made that call to Ferguson, if he had not felt bound by his word to Abramovich, he would have been Manchester United manager from 2013.
No David Moyes. No 7th place finish. Maybe no decade of instability.
But football doesn’t work on "ifs."
Mourinho made a choice based on loyalty. In a business where managers jump ship for money all the time, that says something about his character.
Ferguson respected it, even though he was disappointed.
HOW FANS HAVE REACTED
Since the story came out, fans have been debating it non-stop.
Manchester United fans: "We should have had him in 2013. We would have won 2 or 3 more league titles by now."
Chelsea fans: "Thank God he chose us. That 2015 title was special."
Neutrals: "This is the biggest what if in Premier League history."
The truth is, nobody can prove what would have happened. But the timing matters. Mourinho in 2013 was different from Mourinho in 2016. The club in 2013 was different from the club in 2016.
THE BIGGER LESSON
There are two lessons from this story.
First, timing is everything in football. A manager, a player, a club... everything has to align at the right moment. Miss that moment, and history changes.
Second, loyalty still exists. Mourinho could have taken the United job and explained it away later. But he didn’t. He remembered his promise and stuck to it, even at great personal and professional cost.
FINAL THOUGHT
So now we know the full story.
In the summer of 2013, José Mourinho and Manchester United were very close to becoming one. Sir Alex wanted him. The board wanted him. The deal was there.
But a promise to Chelsea changed everything.
Mourinho went back to Stamford Bridge, won the Premier League, and left United fans to wonder what could have been.
Three years later he did arrive at Old Trafford. He won trophies. But the moment had passed.
Football history often turns on small decisions. One conversation. One phone call. One promise.
And in this case, that promise to Chelsea altered the path of Manchester United for the next decade.
What do you think? Would Manchester United have been better off if Mourinho had taken the job in 2013? Let us know.
By Nwanga Victor | ZpotHub News
Reporting from London
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