Former Manchester United centre-back Gerard Pique has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo was close to joining Barcelona instead of Real Madrid at the time of his Old Trafford exit in June 2009.
Following a sensational 2008/09 campaign, Ronaldo, who scored 26 goals and claimed 12 assists that season, sealed a big-money move to Madrid, joining the La Liga giants in what, at the time, was a world-record fee of £80million.
The Portuguese star, of course, went on to be one of the greatest players to have ever donned a famous Los Blancos shirt, winning 15 major honours and scoring 450 goals in 438 games, before sealing a move to Juventus in July 2018.
However, Ronaldo, who has since come full circle, returning to United last summer, was close to joining Barcelona before putting pen to paper on a deal at the Bernabeu, according to Pique.
"Cristiano was once close to Barca before he signed for Madrid," Pique admitted, speaking on Ibai’s Twitch channel. "Same for Vinicius [Junior]."
Pique, who left United just over 12 months before Ronaldo did, joining Barcelona, is still at the Spanish club and continues to be a regular fixture.
Now at the age of 34, Pique could be rubbing shoulders with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe next season, with both players being linked with moves to La Liga giants Barcelona and Madrid.
Although no formal decisions have yet been made on either player's future, Pique has a hunch that he will be joined in the Spanish top flight by Haaland.
The Barcelona defender continued: "I think Haaland is coming to La Liga. I want the best players with me. This is my opinion, not information.
"Having Haaland and Mbappe would be good for La Liga and football in general.
"But if I had to make a bet, I would say that they would not play in the same team. If they move from their clubs now, anyway."
United hold a firm interest in signing Haaland ahead of his release clause coming into effect this summer.
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