Cristiano Ronaldo says Rio Ferdinand called him in Madrid last summer to try to persuade him to return to Manchester United.
Holding the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player after a tearful ceremony in Zurich, Ronaldo spoke of conversations with his “old friend” at a time when United were considering a bid for the star they sold to Spain in 2009 for £80 million.
Former neighbours in Cheshire, Ronaldo and Ferdinand were apparently speaking as mates, but the new world No 1 said that Ferdinand tried to “change my mind” about staying at the Bernabéu.
United’s hopes of repatriating him were always slim. The club’s fans, though, will dearly wish that an outside chance had been turned into a homecoming.
Ronaldo said after he had beaten Lionel Messi and Franck Ribéry in the ballot for the Ballon d’Or: “It was true that Rio spoke to me a lot. Rio is a great friend of mine, we played many years together at Manchester United and we were neighbours when I was there in Manchester.
"He’s a fantastic guy and tried to change my mind. I did think about United. They are still in my heart. It’s a club where I played for six years and I love that club. I have a lot of friends there and I wish them the best.”