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Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has lifted the lid on the Gunners' interest in signing Cristiano Ronaldo before Manchester United came in and signed him in 2003.
Cristiano Ronaldo has established himself as one of the greatest football players of this generation. He has won five Ballon d'Or awards, while also lifting countless trophies with club and country.
The forward earned his first big move in 2003 when he swapped Sporting CP for Manchester United. He went on to win 10 trophies with the Red Devils and has since not looked back.
However, had things worked out differently, Ronaldo could have joined Arsenal instead of the Old Trafford outfit. The Gunners monitored the Portuguese icon as a teenager, but eventually missed out on him.
Looking back at Arsenal's interest in Ronaldo, Dein revealed that the north London giants were keeping tabs on him. The former Gunners vice-chairman went on to disclose that Manchester United swooped in for the forward before they could make their move. He told Sky Sports [via football.london]:
"I was asked by our chief scout if I would go with him to see a young boy playing for Portugal Under-18s, and he was only 16. You can imagine who that young guy was. It was Cristiano Ronaldo. The following day Manchester United came and blew us out the water. These things happen."
Arsenal have certainly rued missing out on the signing of Ronaldo, who also went on to shine for Real Madrid and Juventus. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner now enjoys a good record against the Gunners, having scored nine goals from 18 appearances against them.
Ronaldo notably produced a stellar performance against the north London giants in the second leg of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final against them in 2009-09. He scored two goals and provided an assist in the Red Devils' 3-1 win that day.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared for Manchester United this term?
Cristiano Ronaldo swapped Manchester United for La Liga giants Real Madrid in 2009. Over the next nine years, he helped Los Blancos win 16 trophies, including four Champions League titles.
The Portuguese icon then had a three-year stint with Serie A club Juventus between 2018 and 2021. He went on to seal a sensational return to Old Trafford last year, signing a two-year deal with the Red Devils.
Ronaldo scored 24 goals and provided three assists from 38 appearances across all competitions in his first season back at Old Trafford. However, he has found his playing time limited this term.
The 37-year-old has clocked just 378 minutes of action for Erik ten Hag's side this campaign. The forward, who has netted one goal so far, has been restricted to just three starts for the club.
