Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson contacted him to convince him not to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
The Portuguese superstar had been tipped to sign for Manchester United's bitter rivals last summer but ultimately opted a return to Old Trafford.
But according to a report from The Sun, Ronaldo was close to making the move to the blue side of Manchester before Ferguson appealed to him to return to the club that signed him as a teenager from Sporting Lisbon in 2003.
Ronaldo has previously spoken about his relationship with the legendary United boss, calling the Scotsman a father figure.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo explained how Ferguson influenced his decision.
'I followed my heart.' The former Real Madrid star explained.
'He (Sir Alex) said to me, "It's impossible for you to go to Manchester City", and I said, 'OK, Boss.'
The explosive interview also saw the 37-year-old claim that he felt betrayed by the club, and that he feels that Erik ten Hag and other United chiefs want him out.
United endured a difficult season last term, slumping to a sixth-placed Premier League finish under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then Ralf Rangnick but Ronaldo's return stood out as a positive in an otherwise forgettable campaign.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner finished the season as the club's top scorer in all competitions including 18 Premier League goals.