Cristiano Ronaldo offered himself to Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola brutally rejected him: report

Cristiano Ronaldo was thought to be heading to Manchester City in the summer of 2021 before signing for his former side

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola is said to have turned down the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester City in 2021.

Rumours spread like wildfire just three years ago, with the Portugal international unhappy with life in Turin. Reports had claimed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was heading to the Etihad Stadium, before returning to sign for his former club Manchester United.

Since then Cristiano Ronaldo’s endeavours have taken him to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr and he continues to play even at the ripe old age of 39-year-old. According to new information obtain from Guardiola’s new book, the Sky Blues carefully details why Ronaldo wouldn’t have been the correct fit at Manchester City.

As revealed by the Daily Mail, the extract stated: “He offered himself to City last summer but Pep wasn’t interested. There’s no question at all that Guardiola respects his immense ability to finish chances as well as his superb physical condition, but how could this type of player fit into the precision machine the Catalan has painstakingly and strategically built at City?

“Thanks but no thanks, Cristiano. Not even after City’s attempt to sign Harry Kane and buy an outright centre forward ended in failure.” Ronaldo of course rejoined Manchester United just days later and instantly hit the ground running by netting two goals in a 4-1 win against Newcastle United.

“Honestly, it [moving to City] was close,” Ronaldo told Piers Morgan in an exclusive interview back in November 2022. They spoke a lot and [Manchester boss Pep] Guardiola said two weeks ago that they tried hard to have me.

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Cristiano Ronaldo second coming at Manchester United wasn’t all it lived up to be (Image credit: Getty Images)

“But, as you know, my history is in Manchester United. Your heart, you’re feeling the way you did before, and it made the difference. And of course, as well, Sir Alex Ferguson. It was a conscious decision because the heart speaks loud in that moment.

“I think it [speaking with Ferguson] was the key. I wouldn’t say that Manchester City wasn’t close. But I think, I did [make] a conscious decision. I don’t regret at some point. And as you mentioned before, Sir Alex Ferguson was the key. I spoke with him… He said to me that, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’. And I said ‘OK, Boss’.

“So I took the decisions and I repeat: I was with conscience that it was a good decision.”

City ended up signing Haaland instead (Image credit: Getty Images)