Man Utd: Ferdinand reveals why Ronaldo cried at 2008 final
Manchester United hero Patrice Evra recently revealed Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were both eyed by Sir Alex Ferguson before the Scot’s retirement in 2013. Both players were at Real Madrid and Tottenham at the time but, in the end, Ferguson didn’t get either. And neither did his successor, David Moyes.
Speaking to United’s official website, Evra said: "He [Ferguson] said: 'My target is I'm 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.’
“‘I just need these two players to win the Champions League again. Ninety-nine per cent’.
"And to be fair, when I speak with Cristiano, I ask him and he said yes to the boss, and was coming to join United. He told me this."
Ronaldo ended up staying at Real Madrid, who he’d go on to win four Champions League titles with prior to his move to Juventus two years ago.
And Bale opted to leave Tottenham for the Bernabeu, rather than Old Trafford.
Express Sport will now take a look at how United would have lined up had both players signed - and Ferguson stayed on.
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When Ronaldo was at United, the Portugal international spent most of the time on the right wing.
But it’s feasible Ferguson would have moved the Juventus star to the opposite flank instead.
Ronaldo took his game to new heights at Real while playing on the opposite wing, establishing himself further as one of the best players on the planet in the process.