Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to a Man U return as Ferguson came close to raiding Real Madrid of two of its biggest stars according to a former Red Devil.
Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United to Real Madrid, fans have been clamouring for his return. Season after season, the clamouring for the Portuguese’s comeback gets louder. However, according to former teammate Patrice Evra, Ronaldo had plans to re-sign with the Red Devils.
Also read: Premier League matches could be less than 90 minutes upon return
Legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson planned to bring back Cristiano Ronaldo while also luring Gareth Bale to Old Trafford as he hoped to pick up one more Champions League trophy. However, it all came to nought after his sudden retirement in 2013.
Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to a Man U return as Ferguson came close to raiding Real Madrid
“You know, you talk about the hardest moments [in my United career], I would say maybe this [Fergie’s retirement] is the one,” Evra said on the latest UTD Podcast episode.
“Two weeks before that, I remember there was a lot of media saying Ferguson will maybe retire next year, and he said, ‘Patrice, I will never retire. I will be here another 10 years.
“He then said: ‘My target is I’m 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. I just need these two players to win the Champions League again. Ninety-nine per cent’.
“And to be fair, when I speak with Cristiano, I ask him and he said yes to the boss, and was coming to join United. He told me this.”
Evra then narrated how the players got to know of the Scotsman’s retirement adding that two players got extended apologies.
“After two weeks, we were in the dressing room waiting,” he added.
“When we arrived at Carrington, I see all those cameras and I was like: ‘Wow, someone has done something wrong. Maybe a player is the story again! Someone has done something wrong, we are in trouble’.
“But we arrived and people said, ‘Guys, you have to stay in the dressing room because the boss wants to have a chat’. And when the boss came into the dressing room to talk to everyone, it’s never good news.
“He came, and he said, ‘I’m really sorry. Some people have said that I’m going to retire even before I say it myself. That’s why you saw all those cameras. But I will retire because my wife needs me’.
“He apologised to [Robin] van Persie, he apologised to Shinji [Kagawa], because he just brought them. He apologised to them especially.”
Click here for more football news
