Manchester United and Arsenal fans have both been surprised by claims they’ve head in the Transfer Tavern today, which could have changed the course of recent footballing history.
With Guillem Balague’s biography on Cristiano Ronaldo being serialised in The Telegraph, it’s been revealed that Arsenal once led the chase for the Portuguese sensation and the player ‘fell in love’ with the Gunners.
‘Jorge Mendes had meetings with all of Europe’s top clubs about Cristiano Ronaldo – then at Sporting Lisbon – in early 2003. Liverpool decided to offer €8million (£5.7m).’
“We were in a car and Jorge kept calling me to reiterate I had to make sure nobody saw me,” recalled Ronaldo. “We stopped at a service station and I had to have my face covered. Jorge was calling me every five minutes: ‘Be careful, be careful around people!’
‘Cristiano fell in love with the club, what it offered, the philosophy and the care with which young players are treated.’
Arsenal failed to agree a fee with Sporting Lisbon though and Manchester United then swooped, securing the youngster as an exciting addition ahead of the 2003/04 season.
Ronaldo came back to hurt Arsenal with starring performances across the competitions he faced the Gunners in, including scoring a free-kick in a Champions League semi-final back in 2010. He’s now widely considered as one of the best player’s in footballing history.
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