Manchester United blocked Jose Mourinho from making a surprise return to Porto just months before he moved to Old Trafford.
The 57-year-old replaced Louis van Gaal in May 2016 and spent under three years at United.
But before returning to the Premier League, Mourinho had the opportunity to manage Porto for a second time.
In his first stint at Porto, Mourinho won the Portuguese league twice and guided the team to Champions League glory before he left to join Chelsea in 2004.
Porto were looking for a new manager following Julen Lopetegui’s departure in January 2016.
And according to Pinto da Costa, Porto’s president, Mourinho had agreed to return until the end of that season before United stepped in and stopped the move.
‘We were without a coach in the middle of the season [after Lopetegui’s departure],’ Da Costa told ‘FC Porto em casa’.
‘I approached Mourinho, who had a contract with Manchester United but he was only going to start the following season, and asked if he could come until the end of the season before his move to Manchester.
‘It seemed impossible. But not for him, he said yes.
‘There was a cup final at the time, a league cup final and he said he was coming.
‘And when we were thinking it was possible, Manchester United did not authorise it as they argued that we could be opponents in a European competition.
‘But a lot of people ignore the fact that, without any conditions, Mourinho was available to spend half a season at Porto in an emergency.
‘It is a fact that is unknown, but it shows the affection with which he was.’
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