Mourinho reveals he was set to join Manchester United before backing out for Chelsea

José Mourinho says he signed a contract with Manchester United and would replace Sir Alex Ferguson when he left in the summer of 2013.

"There's something that nobody knows. When I left Real Madrid, I signed for Manchester United. I was very flattered," the Portuguese coach says in the Netflix documentary "Mourinho."

But at the last moment he pulled out of the deal and signed for Chelsea instead.

"He said: Alex, I can't do it. I've given my word to Chelsea and I won't break it," Ferguson said.

José Mourinho coached United a few years later, between 2016 and 2018.