Man City move not as close as Ronaldo claims

FT Desk

• 17 Nov 2022 12:01 GMT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo's claim that he was on the cusp of joining Manchester City from Juventus last summer before switching to Manchester United at the 11th hour have been denied by the English champions.

It was widely reported at the time that City were interested in signing Ronaldo, with Sergio Aguero leaving for Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur asking for an exorbitant sum for Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland not yet bolted down.

Ronaldo duly joined United for €17 million and hit 18 Premier League goals in his first season back at Old Trafford.

READ: From Man City bid to Messi: Ronaldo-Piers Morgan interview IN FULL

"I followed my heart," Ronaldo told Pier Morgan in a recent interview that has sent shockwaves around Manchester and beyond. "[Sir Alex Ferguson] said to me: 'It's impossible for you to come to Manchester City', and I said, 'ok, Boss.'

"It was close. [Pep] Guardiola tried hard to sign me. But my history with Man Utd before made the difference. And so did Sir Alex Ferguson. It was a conscious decision and the heart decided."

Now Ronaldo looks to have played his final game with United, with the above quotes some of the milder statements made in an interview in which he slammed current manager Erik ten Hag as well as the overall operation of the cub.

READ: Man Utd tear down Ronaldo mural

Ronaldo's claim 'false'

United are yet to respond to the interview - save for removing a mural from Old Trafford which featured Ronaldo - as they seek legal advice, but City have moved to distance themselves from the notion that they were close to signing the Portuguese, according to ESPN.

"Manchester City have denied Cristiano Ronaldo's account of his proposed move to the Etihad Stadium, with sources telling ESPN that the striker's claim that the move was 'close' is false," they report.

"The 37-year-old claimed in an interview that the transfer was 'close', but City sources have insisted his comments are 'not reflective' of their interest at the time which has been described as 'mild.'"