Manchester United’s veteran defender Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he begged Cristiano Ronaldo to re-join Manchester United during the summer.
United had just appointed a new manager in David Moyes and they were desperate to make a marquee signing. A last minute move to hijack the Gareth Bale to Real Madrid transfer failed but it does show that the Old Trafford club had the money to make a serious splash in the summer market.
Ronaldo is still a legend at Manchester United, having scored 84 goals in 196 appearances for the Red Devils. Earlier in 2013 Ronaldo had said that he felt unhappy at Madrid, and many wondered how he would react to the arrival of Gareth Bale as a team mate. It was this that set alarm bells ringing in Manchester and Cristiano’s cellphone ringing in Madrid.
“He was one of the most dialled people on my phone at the time”, said Ferdinand, “but I think the opportunity has gone now. If he was going to leave Real Madrid, I think Manchester United would be the place he would have come to.”
With Manchester United floundering under their new boss, the opportunity has definitely gone but was Ronaldo really considering a summer move back to England? Ronaldo’s tantrum earlier in the year was largely down to him missing out on the Ballon D’Or, yet again, to his arch-rival Lionel Messi. Those clouds seem to have lifted, and with Ronaldo the hot favourite to win the golden football next week his tenure at Madrid seems stronger than ever.
Some people questioned how Ronaldo would cope with playing alongside Bale, the man who had taken his tag as ‘the world’s most expensive footballer’? He has surprised many people by getting along famously with Bale, they seem to be forming a partnership on the pitch and a friendship off of it. Ronaldo is used to playing alongside superstars at the Camp Nou and he has the belief, and ability, to know that he will always be the number one player there – whatever the price tags say.
It is for this reason that I believe there was never any chance of Ronaldo returning to Manchester United. Sorry Rio, I think that you have run up your phone bill for nothing.
