Roy Keane once named 5 world-class footballers he played with at Manchester United but did not include Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United legend Roy Keane shocked Red Devils' fans in 2019 when he omitted Cristiano Ronaldo from a list of world-class players to play at the club.
The Irishman, who works as a pundit at Sky Sports, went on to name Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes and Denis Irwin as the world-class footballers he played with at the club.
After a draw against Arsenal in September 2019, he said:
"But if I look back now, you'd have to class Giggsy [Ryan Giggs]. I always class the world class players as lads who were doing it for nine, ten, 11 years - obviously Giggsy's done it for a lot longer, but to me, that's the key to being a really good player - you've got to be consistent.
"We see players now, they have a good month and [they're] patting themselves on the back. You have to be good for years and years, and Giggsy would have been a prime example.
"My God, imagine if Denis Irwin was playing now. He could play left-back, right-back, get you a goal, knew how to defend, never injured, a brilliant guy in the dressing room. Denis would be world class to me - and he's a Corkman!"
Keane's omission of the Al-Nassr striker can be attributed to the fact that the midfielder played with the Portuguese for only two years at Manchester United. He eventually left the team in 2005 after a reported dispute with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ronaldo went on to become one of the most exciting players in Premier League history. He made a record move to Real Madrid in 2009 and eventually returned to the Red Devils in 2021.
He also left the club on a bitter note after a fiery interview with Piers Morgan that eventually saw him leave by mutual termination and join the Saudi Pro League side.
Former Napoli player claims Serie A star would only join Manchester United or Real Madrid
Former Napoli footballer Salvatore Bagni has claimed that Victor Osimhen would only want to join Manchester United or Real Madrid. This comes after the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea have shown their interest in the player.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, the Italian was asked about Liverpool's reported pursuit of the Nigerian. Bagni stated that Osimhen would only join a club that has Champions League football this season.
He said:
“Victor Osimhen won’t return to France because he already played there. The same thing with Germany. He won’t go to Liverpool or Chelsea because they do not play the Champions League.
“Of all the teams associated with him, for me, he would only go to Manchester United and Real Madrid. He’s not interested in the other teams."
The Red Devils are in the market for a striker. Their primary target remains Harry Kane but he could be on the move to Bayern Munich. Osimhen was Serie A's top scorer last season with 26 goals and could command a high transfer fee.