'Cristiano Ronaldo convinced me to snub Arsenal'

Rafael and his twin brother Fabio moved to Old Trafford from Corinthians, having been involved in a transfer tug-of-war between United and Arsenal.

Whilst the Lyon defender insists that he and Middlesbrough man Fabio were already leaning to wards United, he admits that a brief conversation with a certain Cristian Ronaldo helped seal the deal.

"[Cristiano] Ronaldo called us and asked us to join United," Rafael told 'ESPN'.

"He knew that Arsenal wanted us too, but we had given our word to United, and my parents said that was important. Nani was also there and the Brazilian Anderson, of course. Those three helped me, my brother and another Brazilian Rodrigo Possebon a lot because we couldn't speak any English."

Rafael spent seven years with United, before moving to his current employers.