Patrice Evra, a Manchester United icon, claims Sir Alex Ferguson had bids for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale vetoed by the club during his last season in command.
Sir Alex Ferguson had planned bids for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale during the same transfer window, but he retired when Manchester United refused to authorize the transactions.
United icon Patrice Evra claims Ferguson informed him that Ronaldo and Bale had agreed to join the club in 2013 for a combined £200 million, with the Red Devils manager claiming that he did not intend to retire for another decade because he wanted to win more Champions League titles.
However, Evra claims United “refused to give him those £200 million,” and Ferguson eventually departed at the end of the season. Evra made the shocking accusations during an interview on The Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel.
When questioned about his choice to retire, Ferguson stated, “One of the most sorrowful days, I didn’t weep, I was in shock. The reason for this is that two weeks ago, he called me into his office and said, ‘Patrice, look at those people, they believe I’m going to retire; I’m going to stay [here for] another 10 years, but we need to win more Champions Leagues.
He stated that Patrice, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gareth Bale have all decided to return. He required £200 million, but the club refused to pay him that amount, so they spent a billion on anything.
“It was 2013, right before he resigned, so I remember walking out of his office and thinking, ‘Cristiano is back, Gareth Bale, we’re back in business’ after winning the title and everything.
“That’s what he said, ‘I need to win more Champions Leagues’.” Ronaldo remained at Real Madrid until 2018, when he departed to join Juventus, and he returned to Old Trafford in 2021.
However, his second tenure ended acrimoniously when his contract was terminated following an interview with Piers Morgan in which he attacked the club, and he now plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Bale, on the other hand, left Spurs in 2013, but chose to join Real Madrid over Manchester United. He played eight years with Madrid, earning five Champions Leagues and three LaLiga titles before retiring in 2023 following a brief stint with Los Angeles FC.
