Sir Alex Ferguson was refused £200m for Real Madrid double swoop before retirement

Sir Alex Ferguson was refused an incredible £200m double swoop before he decided to retire as Manchester United manager.

There is uncertainty surrounding the manager’s position at United after a poor start to the 2024/25 season. In terms of results, United have started the season in an almost identical manner to 2014/15 under David Moyes.

We all know how that ended for Moyes.

United are struggling to find real success since Sir Alex Ferguson decided to retire in 2013 following a 13th Premier League title. The Scottish icon remains an incredible club servant but he called time to spend time with his wife, who was ill at the time.

Former United left-back Patrice Evra has revealed an extraordinary plan that Ferguson had before he decided to step away from management.

Evra recalls speaking to Ferguson two weeks before he announced his retirement and said he wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to fight for more Champions League trophies.

Ronaldo had agreed to return to the club, and the double deal would have cost around £200m, Evra claims, but the Glazers pulled the plug.

“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.”

United appointed Moyes the following summer and made just one signing as Marouane Fellaini joined from Everton.

It’s worth noting that Evra may be twisting the truth a little because it wouldn’t be accurate to say Ferguson retired due to not being allowed to sign Ronaldo and Bale. There was a lot more to Ferguson’s retirement than that.

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