José Mourinho Signed Contract to Replace Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013

José Mourinho has revealed in a new documentary that he signed a contract to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013, before pulling out of the agreement to return to Chelsea.

According to reports published by BBC Sport and The Guardian, the Portuguese coach agreed terms to take over at Old Trafford when Ferguson stepped down. However, Mourinho chose not to proceed with the deal and instead elected to go back to Chelsea.

Documentary Revelations

The Guardian reports that Sir Alex Ferguson confirms the sequence of events in the new Netflix documentary. Following Mourinho's decision to renege on the agreement, David Moyes was appointed to succeed Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013.

The details surrounding the agreement indicate that contractual terms had been finalised before Mourinho opted to change direction. BBC Sport notes that the managerial situation at Old Trafford in 2013 could have turned out very differently had the signed agreement been fulfilled.

Unfolding Events in 2013

While Moyes took charge of Manchester United ahead of the 2013-14 campaign, Mourinho returned to English football with Chelsea. Further specific details regarding the timing and discussions surrounding the contract remain limited to the descriptions provided in the documentary broadcast.