Veteran Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he had begged Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to return to his old club last summer when it seemed that he might be leaving the Spanish giants.
The defending Premier League champions had contacted Real about re-signing Ronaldo, although the Portuguese forward opted to stay at the Bernabeu, signing a new blockbuster contract.
According to the Mirror, Ferdinand claimed that his 'old pal' Ronaldo was one of the most dialed persons on his phone at that time, although he added that he believes any chance of Ronaldo coming back to Old Trafford has gone now given his new deal with Real.
Ferdinand further said that although footballers play their cards close to their chests and do not let people know about such choices for fear of 'letting the cat out of the bag', he believes that had Ronaldo left Real, he would have come back to United.
Ferdinand feels that Ronaldo has improved since leaving the Premier League in 2009 in a world-record 80 million-pound move, and claims that he has shown this year that he is now the best footballer on the planet.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
