Former Manchester United and France defender Patrice Evra has revealed how former manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid to build a Champions League-winning squad before abruptly calling it quits in 2013. Evra, who represented United 273 times, also revealed how the Scotsman had attempted to bring Gareth Bale and Ronaldo together at Old Trafford but announced his retirement from management after failing to lure both at the club. Evra said that Ferguson wanted to win another UCL title with the Red Devils before hanging his managerial boots. Cristiano Ronaldo Returns to Italy, Undergoes 14-Day Isolation Ahead of Training With Juventus.

Speaking about his former boss at United on the latest UTD Podcast episode, Evra said that “Two weeks before his retirement, I remember there was a lot of media saying Ferguson will maybe retire next year, and he said to me, ‘Patrice, I will never retire. I will be here another 10 years’. He then 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". Cristiano Ronaldo Jr's Old Photo of His Handshake With Lionel Messi Resurfaces on the Internet!

The left-back also said that he had spoken to Ronaldo after hearing Ferguson “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.” But the move didn’t happen as planned and while Ronaldo, who joined Madrid from United in 2009 for than world record £80million deal, remained at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bale joined the Los Blancos in the summer of 2013.

Ferguson, on the other, retired from management at the end of the 2012-13 season after helping United lift their 20th Premier League title. And recalling the moment when Ferguson announced his decision to the Red Devils dressing room, Evra said: "After two weeks, we were in the dressing room waiting," Evra continued. "When we arrived at Carrington, I see all those cameras and I was like: ‘Wow, someone has done something wrong. Maybe a player is the story again! Someone has done something wrong, we are in trouble.'

"But we arrived and people said, 'Guys, you have to stay in the dressing room because the boss wants to have a chat'. And when the boss came into the dressing room to talk to everyone, it's never good news. He came, and he said, 'I'm really sorry. Some people have said that I'm going to retire even before I say it myself. That's why you saw all those cameras. But I will retire because my wife needs me'. He apologised to (Robin) van Persie, he apologised to Shinji (Kagawa), because he just brought them. He apologised to them especially."

Evra, who won five Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and a FIFA Club World Cup trophy among others, said the news of Ferguson’s retirement left him devastated. “I just couldn't believe it. I thought it was like a prank again,” the 38-year-old recalled. “I remember driving home -- you know when you're driving but you're not there? I was just thinking: 'This is real? He's leaving?'

"My wife said, 'What's happened?' I said: 'Ferguson has retired.' She said: 'Oh, best news! Now I know next year we're leaving!' I said 'I'm not playing for Ferguson. I'm playing for the club. I'm playing for the badge, for the fans, and playing for the boss and my teammates, so this won't be the reason why I will leave Manchester United.'

"But it was a tough day, because of my philosophy with Ferguson... I've never been scared of Alex Ferguson, but I've always been scared to disappoint him. To play in a bad game and to let him down."

United have since struggled to reach the same heights Ferguson helped them climb and have not won a single Premier League trophy since Ferguson lifted the league title in his final managerial season. Ronaldo and Bale, on the other, has gone to win another four Champions League titles each at Madrid with the former also winning four more Ballon d’Or trophies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2020 06:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).