Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that not signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon is one of the biggest regrets he has in football.
The Frenchman was on the brink of signing the Portuguese starlet back when he was a teenager, and he had even set aside a kit number for him, before the deal collapsed and Ronaldo ended up joining rivals-Manchester United instead.
Ronaldo went on to became a massive hit at Old Trafford and is now classed as one of the best players in the world at Real Madrid, and Wenger admits that it’s his biggest regret that he didn’t complete the signing of him back in 2003.
‘My biggest regret, I was so close, to signing Cristiano Ronaldo, and not only did I not get him he signed for Manchester United, so that of course still hurts today,’ the Arsenal boss said.
The Arsenal boss was then asked about his best ever signing at the club, and despite Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry being mentioned, Wenger had a different player in mind.
‘I’d never say which player was the best, but I think it’s the signings like Lauren who you spot when nobody else does,’ he said.
‘He was a right midfielder who I played at right back and was one of the invincibles.’
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
