certain of staying as manager and bringing Cristiano
Ronaldo back to Manchester United.
Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra says Alex
Ferguson was "99 per cent" sure of re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo
and staying on as manager just weeks before announcing his
retirement.
Ferguson, having led United to the 13th Premier League title of
his reign in 2012-13, assured the French defender he would
remain in charge at Old Trafford.
And the Scot was apparently confident of bringing Portuguese
superstar Ronaldo back to the club from Real Madrid, having
sold the prized asset to the Liga giants for £80 million in 2009.
None of that came to pass, though, with Ferguson announcing
his retirement on May 8 2013.
Evra stayed for David Moyes' lone, ill-fated campaign in charge
the following season, before joining Juventus in July 2014, and
the left-back, speaking to the Sunday Times, has revealed how
different United's recent history might have been had Ferguson
opted to continue.
"I remember we talked maybe two weeks before and he said,
'Patrice, I will be here another five years'," he said.
"I said, 'Yes boss. Let's do it.' I was so convinced. He was
looking younger and younger, amazing. He even told me '99 per
cent, Cristiano Ronaldo will come'. I was like, 'wow, we are
ready to bounce back and to even win the Champions League
again.
"After that everyone knows what happened. You know when you
are lost and you feel like the world is crumbling? It was a big
trauma, I felt lost."
Evra reached the Champions League final with Juve last season,
while United, having failed to qualify for the tournament under
Moyes, returned to Europe's elite club competition after finishing
fourth in Louis van Gaal's first campaign in charge last term.
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