Ronaldo persuaded Man Utd to make double swoop despite hating Manchester weather

Former Manchester United defender Rafael has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo called him to persuade him to join the Red Devils.

Rafael, along with his identical twin Fabio, joined United in 2008 from boyhood side Fluminense at the age of 17.

The pair went on to spend several years at Old Trafford, though Rafael enjoyed rather more success than his brother at Old Trafford before leaving in 2015.

And the former Brazil international has revealed all on his phone call with Ronaldo, who had trained with during trials at Carrington in the past.

“He called my phone, and I'll never forget that,” Rafael told the UTD Podcast.

“My phone had all the zeros [on the screen, to indicate an international call] and I was saying ‘Who is this? I've never received a call like this.’

“I answered, and I knew him because I'd trained with him before.

“He just said: ‘Ah, [Portuguese greeting]!’ I ran to my bus saying: ‘It's Ronaldo, it's Ronaldo! He's calling us to speak!’

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“He just said: ‘It's raining here, it's raining here in Manchester, like you know.’ He said: ‘I call to say to you guys: sign for Manchester United. I know you are going to like it’ et cetera.

“I could not believe [it]. It was amazing.”

A then 21-year-old Ronaldo had made his disdain for the typically-dreary Manchester weather well known back in 2006.

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"I like to play for Manchester – better than [I like] the weather," he told Sky Sports News.

"The weather is very difficult for me because you see snow, every time, and rain.

"It's difficult compared to Portugal, where you see sun every day, which is why it's difficult for me.

"But the club is massive and I'm very happy for staying here."

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