Jose Mourinho broke down in tears. Manchester United had overlooked one of the greatest managers in history to appoint one who had never won a trophy. It is, according to Spanish journalist Diego Torres, a piece of history when the then Real Madrid manager discovered United had opted for David Moyes in 2013. It could have been a scene from the more recent past: Mauricio Pochettino was on United's radar in 2016.
A choice boiled down to four men: persisting with Louis van Gaal offered continuity but baffling sterility, promoting Ryan Giggs promised unparalleled experience of life inside Old Trafford but with the downside of almost no track record as a manager while parachuting in Jose Mourinho brought one with the CV of a managerial giant, but invited misgivings if he was a fit with United's age-old ethos and identity.