It seems a long time ago now, but back in late August Cristiano Ronaldo was widely expected to sign for Manchester City.
His agent Jorge Mendes had met with representatives from the Premier League champions and City looked in pole position to sign him from Juventus after they failed to land Harry Kane.
City midfielder Fernandinho has admitted there was a "considerable chance" that Ronaldo was going to move to the Etihad.
But according to reports, the striker suddenly began to have doubts about whether he would be guaranteed a starting role every week in Pep Guardiola's star-studded side.
City also reportedly became less interested in signing him when they learned they would be keeping Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva after speculation the trio could be leaving the club over the summer.
United were shocked to learn that one of their most iconic players could move to their hated neighbours and Alex Ferguson plus former team-mate Rio Ferdinand and compatriot Bruno Fernandes all intervened to make sure if Ronaldo was indeed heading for Manchester it would be the red half and not the blue half.
Ronaldo instead joined United, smashing a record for social media interactions and enjoying a dream debut as he scored twice against Newcastle to send his side to the top of the Premier League.
But as United prepare to make the short trip to the east of Manchester to face the leaders in today's derby, Ronaldo is on a terrible run of form, scoring only one goal in his last 10 appearances.
He will play no part in the derby after getting injured and was absent from the travelling squad.
But the fact that City are favourites to win the Premier League and Champions League and United are making a pig's ear of trying to finish in the top four, might well mean Ronaldo is seriously regretting the decision to go to Old Trafford rather than the Etihad.
And former Liverpool forward John Barnes thinks he would have fared far better at City due to the superior quality of Pep Guardiola's players.
"His goal record is great for a 37-year-old, but I think if he had come to City, he'd probably have 25 goals now, because the good players there would have found him a lot easier," Barnes told the Mirror.
"They would have had the vision and the technique to put him in, whereas I think some of the players at United simply don't have that vision to put him in on goal.
"Then there's the other argument that his legs have gone and he's not got the pace he had four of five years ago.
"I think what's probably got him frustrated is that he's not had the same service he's been used to in the past and people haven't seen him."
