Jose: Fergie knew I’d turn down Man United

Jose Mourinho claims he never discussed the Manchester United job with Sir Alex Ferguson because his good friend knew he had his heart set on a Chelsea return.

Ferguson ended his 26-year dynasty at Manchester United in the summer of 2013 and Mourinho was among the list of candidates to replace the Scot at Old Trafford.

Mourinho, however, opted for a return to Chelsea that summer, while United instead opted for David Moyes.

And the Portuguese coach told a BBC documentary – to be screened on Sunday night – that he never considered the United hotseat.

“Every manager in the world looks at Manchester United as a huge club but I wanted to come to Chelsea,” he said.

“And we didn’t bring that to the table because we were so open and he knows so much about myself that he knew that for almost a season, I want to leave Real Madrid and I want to come to Chelsea.”

Such was the relationship between Mourinho and Ferguson, the former claims the 73-year-old told him of his decision to retire months before the news was public.

Mourinho said he was worried the information would come out.

“He told me a huge secret, not many people knew, like, one month or two months before the decision,” he said. “I know that he trusts me, because if he doesn’t, he doesn’t tell me but I was scared.

“I was scared so when finally he informed the media about this decision it was a sense of relief.”