Newly publicised accounts from a documentary on Jose Mourinho’s career say the manager agreed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at manchester United in 2013, then withdrew within days. People connected to United described the reversal as rapid and say the episode shaped the club’s decision-making in the immediate post‑Ferguson era.
- Multiple United sources and a new documentary say Mourinho reached an agreement to replace Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 but withdrew days later.
- Ferguson recounts Mourinho telling him he could not join because he would not break his word to Chelsea; Mourinho also cited family reasons, which some at United doubt.
- United figures say failing to secure Mourinho was a pivotal moment that influenced their post‑Ferguson trajectory and transfer decisions.
What happened: agreement, then U‑turn
The BBC reports that talks between Manchester United and Mourinho advanced quickly after Ferguson told Mourinho he would step down at the end of the 2012–13 season. Multiple United sources told the broadcaster the meetings took place in Madrid and London and moved on to terms. According to those accounts, an agreement was reached — but shortly afterwards Mourinho changed his mind.
In the documentary, Ferguson recounts a phone call in which Mourinho told him he could not take the United job because he had given his word to Chelsea and would not break it. The BBC also notes that Mourinho cited family reasons; some people connected to United remained sceptical about that explanation.
Why United see it as a pivotal moment
United figures quoted by the BBC describe the reversal as a significant turning point. Ferguson and chief executive David Gill were both leaving that summer, producing a rare institutional transition at Old Trafford. Those sources say Mourinho was seen as someone with the authority to manage the change while keeping the club competitive on the pitch.
With Mourinho apparently out of reach and Pep Guardiola already committed to Bayern Munich, United appointed David Moyes. The BBC recounts that Moyes, despite sharing some traits with Ferguson, had not operated at the same level as a manager prior to his move from Everton. United’s subsequent decline in league position — from title winners in 2012–13 to seventh the following season — is presented in the BBC piece as part of the wider consequences of failing to land Mourinho.
How Mourinho’s later United spell compares
Mourinho eventually became Manchester United manager in 2016, replacing Louis van Gaal. The BBC piece records that Mourinho won the Europa League and EFL Cup in his first season and twice qualified for the Champions League, but also clashed with players and left amid turmoil in December 2018.
The documentary and United sources imply Mourinho might have had a different impact had he taken over immediately after Ferguson: they suggest he would have been more willing to execute transfers and to get more from experienced members of Ferguson’s squad. The BBC article cites specific examples suggested by insiders, such as the club’s 2013 interest in Thiago Alcantara and the later signing of Marouane Fellaini, which those sources believe would have unfolded differently under Mourinho.
Conflicting accounts and what is confirmed
- Confirmed by the BBC: meetings took place; negotiations advanced; multiple United sources say an agreement was reached and then revoked within days; Ferguson describes a phone call in which Mourinho said he could not join because he would not break his word to Chelsea.
- Attribution and disagreement: the BBC reports that Mourinho cited family reasons, while some United-connected people are sceptical about that claim. The sources do not establish a single, independently verified motive for Mourinho’s reversal.
Context: why this matters for United’s trajectory
Manchester United in 2013 faced both a managerial succession and an executive change at the top of the club. The BBC piece frames Mourinho as someone who could have provided immediate, decisive leadership during that period — particularly around transfers and restructuring of first‑team responsibilities, areas where Ferguson had previously held exceptional sway. The decision to appoint Moyes instead — a manager with a different background and operating level — is presented by sources as a defining fork in the road that preceded a difficult period for the club.
Timeline (based on the BBC’s reporting)
- 2012–13 season: Sir Alex Ferguson announces he will leave at season end.
- Spring/summer 2013: United hold meetings with Jose Mourinho in Madrid and London; negotiations reportedly progress to terms.
- Days after an apparent agreement: Mourinho tells Ferguson he will not take the job, citing a promise to Chelsea and family reasons; United then pursue other candidates.
- May 2013: David Moyes is appointed as Ferguson’s successor.
- 2016: Mourinho becomes United manager, later winning two trophies in his first season before departing in December 2018.
What comes next — and what this means for club memory
The BBC coverage draws a line between an individual decision and a club’s ensuing fortunes without asserting a single deterministic cause. Sources quoted by the broadcaster treat Mourinho’s 2013 reversal as an influential moment that changed the course of Manchester United’s post‑Ferguson period, but the report also documents disputes over Mourinho’s motives.
For supporters and club historians, the episode is significant because it underlines how managerial appointments — especially following an exceptionally long and successful tenure like Ferguson’s — can alter recruitment strategy, internal structure and on‑field outcomes. The BBC’s reporting adds fresh first‑hand detail from a recent documentary, clarifying that the near‑appointment and rapid withdrawal happened over a short span and were experienced inside the club as a major loss.
Key takeaway
According to multiple Manchester United sources and material featured in a new documentary, Jose Mourinho did reach a near‑agreement to replace Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 but withdrew within days. United insiders view that reversal as a critical moment in the club’s subsequent struggles — though the precise mix of motives and consequences remains disputed in the accounts published by the BBC.