Jose Mourinho press conference: Ryan Giggs 'wanted to be Manchester United manager,' says former Chelsea boss

Giggs has worked under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal since retiring from playing

(Getty)

Jose Mourinho, the new Manchester United manager, has insisted he did not force Ryan Giggs to leave the club, revealing the Welshman only had eyes for the top job at Old Trafford.

It was reported that the Portuguese offered Giggs a role with the academy but the former winger has since elected to leave to try and pursue a career in management after being disappointed by United’s decision to appoint Mourinho instead of him.

Giggs has worked under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal since retiring from playing and has long been considered the natural long-term heir to Sir Alex Ferguson’s throne with the 20-time champions of England but will now go it alone.

Mourinho, unveiled to the media for the first time as United manager, said: “The job Ryan wanted is the job the club decided to give me. Ryan wanted to be Manchester United manager. And the board, the owners decided that the job was for me.

“Ryan wants to be a manager. For many of us, we start as assistant coaches, and we arrive at a moment when we make a decision - and Ryan made a decision.

“He could be whatever he wanted at the club but he made a decision. A decision where you need to be brave. I was not happy myself at Barcelona in 2000. “Do you think it was easy for me to leave such a big club and go to a new fight. It was not easy.

“For Ryan, it is not just the step from assistant manager to manager - he also left his house. He was brave, he was honest. Good luck. If one day he wants to come back to the club while I am here, I will take him back.

“If one day the club offers him the chance to be manager, I think it will be something natural and a consequence of his managerial career.”