Sir Alex Ferguson was REFUSED incredible £200m double signing before Manchester United retirement

Sir Alex Ferguson was refused an incredible £200 million double signing before he decided to retire from his position as Manchester United manager.

Manchester United currently look likely to sack another manager in Erik ten Hag after a poor start to the 2024/25 campaign.

The club have failed to find real success since Sir Alex Ferguson decided to retire in 2013 after winning his 13th Premier League title.

In hindsight, some fans and pundits suggest that the legendary Scotsman made the right choice, with United’s squad aging at the time.

However, Patrice Evra has recently revealed an extraordinary plan that Ferguson had before he decided to leave management.

The former French defender recalls that Ferguson spoke to him two weeks before he announced his retirement and said that he wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to fight for more Champions League trophies.

Ronaldo had essentially agreed to join the club and the double deal would have cost around £200 million, Evra states, but the Glazer ownership refused to cough up the cash.

“It was one of the most sad days. I didn’t cry but I was in shock,” Evra said on the Obi One Podcast when Ferguson’s retirement was mentioned.

“The reason why is that two weeks before, he brought me to his office and said, ‘Look at those people, they think I’m going to retire, I’m going to be here another 10 years but we need to win more Champions Leagues.’

“He said, ‘Patrice, Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed 99% to come back and Gareth Bale’. He needed £200 million and the club refused. Now they have spent a billion or whatever.

“That was in 2013, I remember when I came out of his office I was like Cristiano is back, Gareth Bale… we’re back in business after winning the title.”

Looking back, the 2013 summer window instead had only one major signing; Marouane Fellaini from Everton for £27 million.

Whether or not Evra might be twisting the truth or not in his claims, it is a painful idea that United could have had Ronaldo and Bale at the peak of their powers, with Ferguson still in charge for multiple more years.

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