“He had agreed 99% to come back” – Patrice Evra opens up on how close Manchester United were to signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in 2013
Former Manchester United legend Patrice Evra recently revealed that the Red Devils were very close to signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in 2013. Ronaldo was at Real Madrid at that time, while Bale moved to the Spanish side from Tottenham Hotspur in the same year.
Cristiano Ronaldo was previously at Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, before moving to Real Madrid. Although Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans to bring the Portuguese back to the club did not work out in 2013, he eventually returned to Old Trafford in 2021 from Juventus. He left in 2022 to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale never played for the Red Devils. He joined Los Blancos from Tottenham in 2013 and moved to Los Angeles FC in 2022 before retiring in 2023.
On the Obi One podcast, Patrice Evra recalled how Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to bring back Ronaldo to Manchester United alongside signing Gareth Bale from Tottenham. He said (via United Zone):
“Sir Alex Ferguson said that Cristiano Ronaldo had agreed 99% to come back and Gareth Bale [to join]. He needed 200 million. And the club refused to gave him that money. This was in 2013.”
Evra also revealed that Ferguson wanted to win more UEFA Champions League titles with Manchester United. He believed Bale and Ronaldo could help the team at that time.
Bale and Ronaldo eventually won five Champions League trophies each, with four of them being together at Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson retired from his managerial career at the end of the 2012-13 season after 27 years of managing Manchester United with two Champions League trophies.
When Cristiano Ronaldo revealed Sir Alex led him to rejoin Manchester United in 2021 amid Manchester City’s interest
In a 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo recalled how Sir Alex Ferguson implored him to return to Manchester United in 2021. The Portuguese talisman returned to his boyhood club in August 2021 from Serie A side Juventus.
Ronaldo explained that United’s local rivals Manchester City were also interested in signing him at that time, and said (via ESPN):
“Well, honestly, it was close… It’s something they spoke [about] a lot and [Manchester City manager Pep] Guardiola said two weeks ago, I guess, that they tried hard to have me. But as you know, as my history [was] in Manchester United, your heart, your feeling… make the difference. And of course, as well, Sir Alex Ferguson.”
Ronaldo explained his reason for not joining City in 2021, saying:
“I was surprised… But it was a conscious decision. Because the heart speaks, speaking loud in that moment.”
The Al-Nassr star made it clear that Sir Alex’s opinion made the difference for him, and continued:
“I think it was the key. It was the difference in that moment, but I cannot be loyal if I will, I wouldn’t say that Manchester City wasn’t close. I spoke with him [Ferguson]… He said to me that, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’. And I say, ‘OK, Boss’. So I took the decisions and… it was a good decision.”
Cristiano Ronaldo eventually left the Red Devils in December 2022 and joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
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