Sir Alex Ferguson retired at Manchester United after failing to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, according to Patrice Evra.
The legendary manager stunned the football world in 2013 when he announced he was calling time on a trophy-laden 27 years at the club.
But former left-back Evra claims Sir Alex just two weeks prior had no plans to walk away, was rather working on a deal to bring Ronaldo back to the club and team him up with Bale.
"Two weeks before his retirement, I remember there was a lot of media saying Ferguson will maybe retire next year, and he said to me, 'Patrice, I will never retire. I will be here another 10 years'," Evra told the club's official website.
"He then said: 'My target is I'm 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. I just need these two players to win the Champions League again. Ninety-nine per cent'.
"And to be fair, when I speak with Cristiano, I ask him and he said yes to the boss, and was coming to join United. He told me this."
Ronaldo ended up staying at Real Madrid for a further five years and Bale joined him at the Bernabeu just a few months after Sir Alex left Old Trafford.
