Fortune: 'Man Utd missed the chance to buy Ronaldinho because of the rain'

Former Man Utd player Quinton Fortune believes the weather was the reason why Ronaldinho abandoned the option of joining Old Trafford.

Former coach Alex Ferguson once aimed to buy Ronaldinho for Man Utd in 2003. That was when the Red Devils had just decided to sell David Beckham and needed a world-class star to replace him.

To convince, Ferguson invited Ronaldinho to Manchester. The visit took place on a rainy day and later things suddenly took a turn for the worse for Man Utd.

"I think we made a mistake in timing when inviting Ronaldinho. When he arrived in Manchester, it was raining. If it had been another day, the story might have been different. It would have been great to have him. Ronaldinho is one of the greatest players in world football. He always entertains the audience with his talent and fun," Fortune said on June 26.

Ronaldinho almost became a Man Utd player. Photo: Reuters

After leaving Manchester in 2003, Ronaldinho chose Barcelona. Over the next three seasons, the Brazilian star won two La Liga titles, a Champions League, a European Ballon d'Or and two FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

Ronaldinho and Fortune are currently preparing for a friendly between two groups of former Barca and Man Utd stars. Other stars also taking part includeEdwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Denis Irwin, Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert.

According to VNE