Cristiano Ronaldo confessed to Patrice Evra that he was rejoining Manchester United just weeks before Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
The Portuguese star was then at Real Madrid having moved to the Bernabeu from United in 2009.
Ronaldo has long been linked with a return to Old Trafford and told the Frenchman that he was teaming up with Ferguson for a second time.
The Scot was also "99 per cent sure" Gareth Bale would head to Manchester from Tottenham just months after being named the PFA Player of the Year.
Evra told the latest UTD Podcast episode: “You know, you talk about the hardest moments [in my United career], I would say maybe this (Fergie's retirement) is the one.
“Two weeks before that, I remember there was a lot of media saying Ferguson will maybe retire next year, and he said, 'Patrice, I will never retire. I will be here another 10 years’.
“He then said: 'My target is I'm 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. I just need these two players to win the Champions League again. Ninety-nine per cent.’
“And to be fair, when I speak with Cristiano, I ask him and he said yes to the boss, and was coming to join United. He told me this.”
If you’re unable to see the survey, click here
Neither move materialised with Ronaldo remaining in Spain where he would be joined that summer by Bale, who became the world's most expensive player.
The pair teamed up to help Madrid win their much craved 10th European Cup in Lisbon in their first season together.
In stark contrast, United hired David Moyes on a six-year deal to replace Ferguson but the former Everton man struggled.
Poor league form coupled with exits in all of the cup competitions led to the club sacking Moyes after less than 12 months.
