Mourinho reveals he agreed to replace Ferguson at Man Utd

Jose Mourinho has dropped a bombshell that will reignite one of the great 'what ifs' in Premier League history. In a new documentary, the Portuguese coach claims he had already agreed to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United — only for the Old Trafford hierarchy to hand the job to David Moyes instead.

The revelation

The revelation comes straight from Mourinho himself, speaking in the documentary that charts his storied career. According to the excerpt, Mourinho says the agreement was in place for him to succeed Ferguson, who brought down the curtain on his trophy-laden reign in 2013 after nearly 27 years in charge. Instead, Everton manager David Moyes was appointed, a decision that would prove calamitous — the Scot was sacked after just ten months at the helm.

While the full context of Mourinho's claim is yet to emerge, it adds a tantalising layer to an already folklore-laden piece of club history. At the time, Mourinho was at Real Madrid, his trophy-laden spells at Chelsea and Inter Milan fresh in the memory. He was widely considered one of the few managers with the personality and pedigree to step into Ferguson's monumental shoes.

Why it matters

The Ferguson succession remains one of the most intensely debated decisions in modern football. United had enjoyed decades of uninterrupted dominance, and replacing the irreplaceable was always going to be a poisoned chalice. Moyes's appointment was seen as a safe, continuity-centric choice, but it quickly became clear he was out of his depth on the European stage and in the cutthroat Premier League.

Mourinho's revelation suggests the club's decision-makers were aware of a more flamboyant, battle-hardened alternative. The 'Special One' had already conquered Portugal, England and Italy, and his reputation as a serial winner was unmatched. Had United brought him to Old Trafford in 2013, the trajectory of the post-Ferguson era might have looked radically different. Instead, they waited until 2016, when Mourinho finally took the reins and delivered the Europa League and League Cup titles — albeit before the relationship soured and ended in a familiar blaze of acrimony.

What it means

The idea of Mourinho succeeding Ferguson in 2013 is a deliciously tantalising prospect. Would he have built a dynasty, or would the same combustible temperament that followed him everywhere have surfaced sooner? United have spent the decade since Ferguson's exit searching for a stable identity, cycling through managers and philosophies. Mourinho's claim is a stark reminder of the road not taken — a timeline where the club's most celebrated post-Sir Alex appointment arrived three years early, with an even stronger hand to play.

Ultimately, the documentary offers another layer to Mourinho's complex love affair with Manchester United. Whether his claim is accepted at face value or dismissed as revisionism, it captures the enduring 'what if' that has haunted the club since Ferguson walked away. And for Mourinho, it's one more chance to remind the world that he was ready to take the job — before the chance slipped away.