RONALDO AND FERGIE
SIR ALEX FERGUSON tried to persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to
move to Barcelona rather than Real Madrid, according to claims in a new book
about the star.
Manchester
United were forced to part
with the superstar for a then world record fee of £80million in 2009.
Ronaldo moved
to Old Trafford six years earlier and, after three inconsistent seasons, soon
established himself as one of the best players in the world.
In 2007, he finished runner up to Kaka in
the Ballon d’Or standings, before winning his first a year
later.
However, after a controversial 2006 World Cup, in which he
became Public Enemy No.1 among England fans, the first soundings began to appear
about him moving to Real Madrid.
Sensing an opportunity, Los Blancos went on the attack,
going public with their interest in the United’s No.7.
Cristiano Ronaldo was offered to Pep Guardiola in 2009, but
he chose Real Madrid.
In a new biography of the Portuguese superstar, which will
be released on October 19 and is being serialised by Spanish daily AS,
it is claimed Ferguson was so angry, that when he realised his attempts to keep
Ronaldo had ended, he tried to convince Barcelona to make a move for him — anyone but Real
Madrid.
The legendary Scot was determined to maintain his authority
in front of the watching and world and made bold statements such as: “I
wouldn’t sell that mob [Real Madrid] a virus.”
Cristiano Ronalo wins first of his two Champions League
titles with Real Madrid
After United’s triumph in the 2008 Champions League,
it looked like that season’s stand-out player would leave the Premier
League after ‘completing his
mission’.
But Ferguson saved some face by convincing him to stay for
one more season, before eventually leaving for the
world-record fee a year on.
And, 367 goals and two Champions League triumphs later, £80m
looks like an absolute snip.
No comments:
Post a Comment