Jose Mourinho has said even Sir Alex Ferguson could not tempt him to take the Manchester United job in 2013 because he was determined to return to Chelsea.
Ferguson stepped down as United manager just over two years ago, bringing to an end 26 years in charge at Old Trafford.
The Scot was ultimately replaced by former Everton boss David Moyes, who did not last a full season at the helm following poor form.
In the same summer as Moyes' appointment, Mourinho returned to Chelsea having been linked with the position at their Premier League rivals.
It was claimed in a book published later that year that Mourinho cried when he heard that Moyes was to replace Ferguson.
However, Mourinho was quoted by the Guardian as saying in an interview for a new BBC documentary, "Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success," that his heart was set on returning to Stamford Bridge.
On whether Ferguson could have tempted him, Mourinho said: "Every manager in the world looks at Man United as a huge club but I wanted to come to Chelsea and we didn't bring that to the table because we were so open and he knows so much about myself.
"He knew that for almost a season I want to leave Real Madrid and I want to come to Chelsea."
Ferguson also dismissed suggestions it was his decision alone to select Moyes as his successor, while he said Ryan Giggs would have been his successor at United had he retired earlier.
He said: "When I announced my retirement, do you honestly believe that one man could decide the future of Manchester United?
"That's absolute nonsense. There was a good process. They're a professional football club. They know what they're doing, the Glazers, David Gill.
"Jose was going back to Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti was going to Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp had signed a contract with Dortmund, Louis van Gaal was staying with Holland for the World Cup.
"The other thing was I took Pep Guardiola for dinner in New York in the September and I had no idea I was ever going to retire and I said to him give me a call and tell what you're going to do. No answer.
"I was just trying to think way ahead. But I didn't get any answer and then he goes to Bayern Munich.
"We'd like to have spoken to many managers because that's a process. We'd like to have asked them what they felt about leaving a big club to go to a bigger club -- to come to Manchester United. It wasn't there for us.
"I don't think we made a mistake at all. I think we chose a good football man. He did a great job at Everton, 11 years there. We picked the right man. Unfortunately it didn't work for David.
"We'd like to have spoken to many managers, believe me, because that's the process. We'd like to have asked them what they felt about leaving a big club to go to a bigger club, to come to Manchester United.
"But it wasn't there for us. I think we did the best under the circumstances we were in."
On Monday, Chelsea insisted that Mourinho has the club's "full support" following their poor start to the season.