Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-awaited return to Manchester United came in 2021, but if Sir Alex Ferguson had had his way he would have returned to Old Trafford sooner
Sir Alex Ferguson wanted Cristiano Ronaldo to return in 2013 (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Manchester United in 2013 “99 per cent” and was so confident that he told Patrice Evra as much. That’s why Evra was so surprised when Ferguson announced his retirement a few days later.
Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid for £80 million in 2009 and was frequently linked with a return to Old Trafford. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was past his prime following his spell at Juventus, but will ultimately return in 2021.
Ferguson wanted to bring Ronaldo back to when he was still at the top level and United were crowned Premier League champions. That’s not all.
Evra claims the legendary Red Devils manager was also planning to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham, perhaps as a gift to his successor David Moyes. “I couldn’t believe it,” Evra said of Ferguson’s athletic retirement.
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“Because I went to Ferguson’s office the week before and he said: ‘Patrice, 99 per cent, Cristiano Ronaldo is coming, we’re going to bring Gareth Bale as well. And those of you who think I’m going to retire? I’m probably going to retire when I’m 100.’
“I didn’t understand. It was a big shock. I remember driving home and the car was driving itself. There was a meeting in the locker room, and Ferguson wasn’t wearing a jersey.”
“I said, ‘This is bad news. All the players are going to get killed or something is going to happen.’ He said I was retiring. But I still thought it was a joke. And I thought he would change his mind.”
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Patrice Evra was looking forward to being team-mates with Cristiano Ronaldo again (Image: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
As it turned out, Bale ended up playing alongside Ronaldo in Madrid. The pair enjoyed five trophy-winning years together, but United fans ended up ruining what could have been.
However, the real reason Ferguson retired had nothing to do with football. The Scot wanted to support his wife Lady Cathy after the death of her twin sister Bridget in October 2012.
“I definitely would have continued,” Ferguson told the Telegraph in 2015. “One night I saw her watching TV, looking up at the ceiling. I could tell she was lonely. She and Bridget were twins, right?”
Instead, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo succeeded at Real Madrid (Image: DANI POZO/AFP via Getty Images)
His wife Cathy, who died three years ago, had previously tried to persuade Mr Ferguson not to retire in 2002. “But this time, when I told her I was going to retire, she had no objections at all,” he explained. “I knew she wanted me to do that.”
Evra will leave United a year later after a difficult season under Moyes, who was sacked after just eight months, and then interim manager Ryan Giggs.
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