Jose Mourinho has claimed he had already struck an agreement to take over at Manchester United following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 — a job that ultimately went to David Moyes.
According to BBC News, the Portuguese coach makes the revelation in a new documentary, suggesting the switch was in place before United's plans changed course and Moyes was appointed instead.
Mourinho would eventually get his chance at Old Trafford in 2016, three years after Moyes's ill-fated tenure ended, but his own spell as United boss also finished in disappointment when he was sacked in December 2018.
The claim adds a fresh twist to one of English football's most scrutinised managerial successions, with Ferguson's decision to anoint Moyes as his heir having reshaped the direction of the club for years afterwards. Further details of Mourinho's account, including any explanation for why the deal reportedly fell through, are expected to emerge as the documentary is released.