Rio Ferdinand made desperate phone call to Cristiano Ronaldo amid Man City speculation

Rio Ferdinand made desperate phone call to Cristiano Ronaldo amid Man City speculation

Metro.co.uk - Sport·2021-08-29 00:00

Rio Ferdinand revealed he pleaded with Cristiano Ronaldo and implored him not to join Man City (Picture: Getty)

Rio Ferdinand revealed he made a desperate phone call to Cristiano Ronaldo, pleading with him to snub a move to Manchester City.

The 36-year-old appeared to be on the verge of torching his United legacy on Friday morning by joining the Premier League champions having reportedly agreed a £500,000-a-week deal.

Juventus head coach Max Allegri confirmed later on Friday that Ronaldo had informed him of his desire to quit the Italian club after three mixed seasons in Serie A.

Welcome 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲, @Cristiano 🔴#MUFC | #Ronaldo

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 27, 2021

By lunchtime, however, Pep Guardiola had played down City’s chances of signing the Portuguese superstar, before reports of Ronaldo’s incredible return to Old Trafford after a 12 -year absence emerged.

Ferdinand, a former teammate of Ronaldo’s, revealed he was so panicked by the suggestion his great friend would join United’s rivals that he made a frantic call to try and persuade him into making a U-turn.

‘I rang him straight away, (and said) tell me what’s going on, tell me you’re lying?’ Ferdinand told FIVE.

Cristiano Ronaldo is returning to Man Utd after a 12-year absence (Picture: Getty)

‘At that time we were seeing in the media, I don’t think City had bid but obviously conversations were being had and City were showing their hand to have been interested in him.

‘With this situation you can’t sit here and go like it wasn’t happening. There’s no smoke without fire sometimes in these situations, and this was obviously one of them.’

More: Manchester United FC

Paul Merson makes predictions for Liverpool v Chelsea and Wolves v Man Utd

Sancho, Fernandes and Rashford react to Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Manchester United

Owen Hargreaves says Manchester United duo could leave following Cristiano Ronaldo return

Ferdinand added that he told Ronaldo: ‘Tell me you aint going to them… I know you aint going there.

‘I was texting him trying to get every type of no, no, no, no, no in the conversation.

‘I’m like all the fans, we’re exactly the same ‘please tell me you’re not going there’. I was saying ‘let me speak to you quickly, man.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on FacebookTwitter and Instagram

……

Read full article on Metro.co.uk - Sport

Sports International