Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he would have spurned Manchester United

The Portuguese, who was formally unveiled for a second time at Chelsea last week, had indicated previously that he would have been interested in becoming Ferguson’s successor.

But with United privately insisting that they never considered hiring Mourinho, and instead deciding to recruit David Moyes, Mourinho now says that he would have turned down the job at Old Trafford as his heart was set on returning to Chelsea.

“I knew that Ferguson was retiring many months ago,” he said. “And I’m so happy with his trust because it was big news for the world – I can imagine that just a circle around him knew that. And it was a big responsibility for me to know that.

“I am one of the guys that knows. And why do I know that? Because we are friends. So if I am his friend to know that he’s going to retire, he’s always my friend to know that the club I want to coach in England is Chelsea. Of course I told him.

“I would have turned down every job in the world. The Man United job, everyone. For Chelsea I would turn down every job in the world.”

Mourinho said it was inevitable that he would one day return to Stamford Bridge. “We had some communication, sometimes direct with Mr Abramovich, sometimes with other people from the board, people close to him. There was always this kind of relation and always the feeling that the right moment to do it will come again.

“It was basically clear in my heart that it would happen. We were always very calm, very relaxed and waiting for the right moment to do it. I think it comes in a good time. I wanted to leave Madrid, Chelsea knows for quite a long time that [Rafael] Benítez is not staying when he made it public months ago. For quite a long time Chelsea knows they are looking for a manager; for quite a long time I know I have to work in another club.”

Nevertheless Chelsea considered other candidates and spoke to Manuel Pellegrini, who was confirmed as City’s new manager on Friday. Moyes, who succeeded Ferguson at United, was also shortlisted.

Mourinho again failed to give any reassurance to Fernando Torres that the Spaniard had a future under him, describing the £50million striker’s contribution so far to Chelsea as “so-so”.

“Somebody could have expected more because of his potential and because of what he did before,” Mourinho said. “But not so bad as people sometimes try to sell. I think there is a balance.”

Mourinho was also dismissive of Benítez’s achievement in winning the Europa League. “We [Chelsea] won the trophy I don’t want to win, to be fair,” he said. “I did it with Porto – but before I won the Champions League. And that is the way it should be done. You win first the Europa League and after the Champions League.”