Uruguay international Edinson Cavani has revealed how he reacted when Manchester United re-signed Cristiano Ronaldo after he had been persuaded to sign a new contract at the Red Devils.
After becoming a fan favourite following a productive debut season in the Premier League, Cavani, who had initially signed a one-year deal in England, committed himself to a further 12 months at United.
Just a few months later, the English giants pulled off a stunning move for five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, who decided late in the transfer window at the start of the 2021/22 season that he wanted to leave Juventus.
The ex-Real Madrid talisman's arrival at Old Trafford seemed to push Cavani down the pecking order, before injuries and fitness issues left the Uruguay striker out of contention for the vast majority of the campaign.
Cavani is one of nine footballers who are confirmed to be leaving their clubs at the end of the season:
Speaking in a recent interview, the 35-year-old admitted he would have left United had he known that Ronaldo was going to return to the 20-time English champions.
"Speaking the truth, because I always tell the truth, as it should be. The moment it happened, I thought it was good that Manchester United signed Cristiano," he told ESPN Brasil.
"Knowing a little about the world of football today, the first thing I did was call my brother and I said: 'Fernando, if this had happened a week ago, I would have asked you to sign another club.'
"But this was not because I didn't want to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. No. Because I had the opportunity to meet him, and he's a great professional, with his goals, and that's perfect for sportsmen.
"But as I know him, after years in football, how things are these days... hence the fact of talking to my brother. It was more about understanding the situation.
"Not because I couldn't play for my place at Manchester United, but because there are a lot of things in football today that are different from how they were with other coaches, how it was before, years ago. I thought: 'Let's play, let's do the best we can.'"
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