Cristiano Ronaldo revealed in a recent interview with Piers Morgan that he came close to joining Manchester City before returning to Manchester United last year after talking with Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 37-year-old said: “Honestly, it was close. As you know, my history in Manchester United, your heart, you’re feeling the way that you did before, makes the difference.
“And of course, Sir Alex Ferguson. I spoke with him. He said to me, ‘it’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’. And I say ‘OK, boss’.” But Rob Dawson of ESPN says City have since played down the suggestion.
The Sky Blues say Ronaldo’s comments are ‘not reflective’ of their interest and only had a ‘mild’ intrigue at the time. Nevertheless, City didn’t land his signature and he signed a two-year deal with United in the summer of 2021.
City would go on to sign Julian Alvarez from River Plate and Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund to bolster their attack after Sergio Aguero left and may feel they got the better deal.
Ronaldo scored 24 goals with three assists from 38 games in his first season back at Old Trafford and may have enjoyed a prolific campaign at the Etihad Stadium too, but Pep Guardiola will be satisfied with the attackers he has now.
Alvarez and Haaland are only 22, so they have many more years of service than Ronaldo.
The Vital Network is unique from other football content providers as all the sites are run by the fans, for the fans. We are looking for a writer to join our Manchester City site. If you can write well-constructed, thought-provoking opinion pieces alongside reporting on current events and breaking news then I want to hear from you. Email paddy@snack-media.com.
Can you name these Man City players from the 2000s? Test your knowledge, take the quiz and challenge your friends and family to beat your score