{
  "id": 424465,
  "title": "Mourinho reveals he signed contract to succeed Ferguson at Man Utd",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/mourinho-reveals-he-signed-contract-to-succeed-ferguson-at-man-utd",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-10T01:03:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mourinho-reveals-signed-contract-succeed-010331147.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jose Mourinho has disclosed he signed a contract to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United's manager in 2013, but ultimately decided to leave and return to Chelsea. The news sent shockwaves through the football world. Ferguson, who had led United to 13 Premier League titles during his tenure, announced his retirement, sparking the search for a new manager. David Moyes, who succeeded Ferguson, was sacked after just 10 months in charge. Mourinho was subsequently hired, serving as United's manager from 2016 to 2018.\n\nIn a Netflix documentary about his life, Mourinho revealed he had agreed to join United earlier, but tearfully backed out and returned to Chelsea. He explained that while he was flattered by the opportunity, he needed to feel loved and appreciated. Ferguson, interviewed for the documentary, admitted he had been under the assumption Mourinho was accepting the offer. Upon learning the truth, the former United manager was understandably disappointed.\n\nMourinho had a strong connection with Chelsea, having led them to multiple titles during his first stint. Despite the differences with owner Roman Abramovich, he returned to Stamford Bridge, winning another league title and League Cup before being sacked in December 2015. Looking back, Mourinho acknowledged the emotional decision he made, stating that doing something out of love could never be wrong.",
  "summary": "Jose Mourinho has revealed he signed a contract to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013 only to tearfully renege on the deal and return to Chelsea. The football world was rocked when the Scottish great announced he was retiring having overseen a 13th Premier League title triumph win during a spell of unrivalled dominance at Old Trafford.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Real Madrid custodian reveals why Mourinho is already making his mark – “He asks for discipline”",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/real-madrid-custodian-reveals-why-mourinho-is-already-making-his-mark",
        "published": "2026-08-09T13:25:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}