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.
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.
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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.
‘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.’
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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.’
MORE: Manchester United officially confirm Cristiano Ronaldo return after agreeing deal with Juventus
MORE: Manchester United agree £21.4m fee with Juventus to sign Cristiano Ronaldo
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