Cristiano Ronaldo was so close to signing for Arsenal that he had his own squad number
The Portuguese sensation trained at Arsenal and had his own
No9 shirt, but was then stolen away by Manchester United at the last
minute
Helios de la Rubia
Arsene Wenger has revealed Cristiano Ronaldo came so close to joining Arsenal that he was given his own No9 shirt.
Wenger has revealed in the past how Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo had a week-long trial at Arsenal but most fans will be amazed at just how close he came to joining.
Portugal winger Ronaldo, now 28 and the biggest name on the planet, was just a teenager but Wenger gave him an Arsenal shirt with No9 and his name on the back and believed they were going to sign him.
But, as is revealed in an ITV4 documentary tonight, Manchester United pipped them to the signing from Sporting Lisbon after Carlos Queiroz intervened at the last minute.
Arsenal boss Wenger said: "He was very close to coming here. He has a number nine shirt with Ronaldo on the back from Arsenal Football Club.
"What happened was that Carlos Queiroz went to Manchester
United and they snapped him away from us because he knew him from
Sporting.
"That's what life is about. You give your best but sometimes you might find that people are stronger than you. That can happen as well."
Wenger also claims Ronaldo is still the complete player ahead of Real Madrid's new record signing Gareth Bale and is different to Lionel Messi.
Wenger added: "He (Ronaldo) is a complete athlete with total efficiency and Messi is an artist who does things nobody else can do.
"Bale still has a way to go if you compare what Ronaldo has done and what Bale has done. Bale has still a way to make it but the vision of having the two together is very exciting."
Wenger has revealed in the past how Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo had a week-long trial at Arsenal but most fans will be amazed at just how close he came to joining.
Portugal winger Ronaldo, now 28 and the biggest name on the planet, was just a teenager but Wenger gave him an Arsenal shirt with No9 and his name on the back and believed they were going to sign him.
But, as is revealed in an ITV4 documentary tonight, Manchester United pipped them to the signing from Sporting Lisbon after Carlos Queiroz intervened at the last minute.
Arsenal boss Wenger said: "He was very close to coming here. He has a number nine shirt with Ronaldo on the back from Arsenal Football Club.
"That's what life is about. You give your best but sometimes you might find that people are stronger than you. That can happen as well."
Wenger also claims Ronaldo is still the complete player ahead of Real Madrid's new record signing Gareth Bale and is different to Lionel Messi.
Wenger added: "He (Ronaldo) is a complete athlete with total efficiency and Messi is an artist who does things nobody else can do.
"Bale still has a way to go if you compare what Ronaldo has done and what Bale has done. Bale has still a way to make it but the vision of having the two together is very exciting."
Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/cristiano-ronaldo-close-signing-arsenal-2326757#ixzz2gY04qUWf
No comments:
Post a Comment