Alex Ferguson confirmed that he actively contributed to convince Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Old Trafford when he expressed a desire to leave Juventus, bypassing direct competition.
The former Manchester United coach reportedly called Ronaldo to ask him to return, 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid. Sir Alex revealed that he and others did everything to ensure Ronaldo’s return.
Speaking before his debut against Newcastle, in which he scored two goals, Ferguson, already in the stadium stands, opened the veil a little. “I’m excited like everyone else, there was anticipation all day and I speak for all the fans – it’s a great day for Manchester United,” he said in an interview with Swedish streaming platform Viaplay.
Afterwards, he said that the intervention was even more intense when Manchester City was considered interested in signing him – although Pep Guardiola has said in the meantime that he neither wanted nor talked to Ronaldo.
«Many people did their part [para o trazer de volta] and I contributed knowing that Cristiano really wanted to come here, and that was important. It worked very well. It’s exciting for me and a relief because I couldn’t imagine him playing for Manchester City, I don’t think anyone else could. That’s why we took steps to ensure he came, the club picked up on the topic, I spoke to the Glazers [donos do clube] and it was done. I think he will make an impact on young players in particular, he has the experience to deal with all this,” he said.
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