Manchester City's attempts to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021 may have gone through, had they secured a reported move for Raheem Sterling to Barcelona.
Ronaldo set Europe's top clubs on high alert 18 months ago when he expressed a desire to leave Juventus. The Portuguese striker spent three years in Turin and won consecutive Serie A titles, but while the final campaign brought personal success - he scored 29 goals in 33 games - Juve's fourth place finish was a collective failure.
Many were shocked to hear of City's apparent interest in the striker, particularly given Pep Guardiola's insistence on pressing from the front and Ronaldo's blatant refusal to do so. The forward eventually joined old club Manchester United instead, but a move to the Etihad may have been closer than many thought.
