I thought I could do what Thierry Henry did when I moved to Man United but ended up in the reserves
manchestereveningnews.co.uk"At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussions with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player." It was the news every Manchester United fan was dreading when they read the headlines on the morning of 11 June 2009.
Two weeks after losing the Champions League final against a Barcelona side inspired by the brilliance of Lionel Messi, United were coming to terms with the loss of their own extra-terrestrial talent.
Cristiano Ronaldo had been linked with an exit from Old Trafford throughout the season, but on the eve of the Champions League final United's then-chief executive David Gill insisted there was no way the club would be entertaining such a proposal. READ MORE: United fans cast worrying Onana verdict READ MORE: Onana criticised after United decision Sir Alex Ferguson, in typical fashion, had months earlier said he would 'not sell that mob a virus'.
Ronaldo was one of the two best players in the world when he left United - replacing him was the impossible task. The Portuguese departed having netted a phenomenal 118 goals in 292 appearances, and he ended his final season in English football as the holder of the Ballon d'Or.
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