Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Manchester United for the first time back in 2003. At that time, he was the most expensive teenager.
Sir Alex Ferguson was amazed by the way he played during a pre-season friendly match against United for Sporting Lisbon.
After watching Ronaldo play, Ferguson knew that he had to sign the-then 18-year-old. Many other European giants were following the Portuguese as well.
However, most of them, reportedly, proposed to sign him and keep him at Sporting and take him the following year.
However, Ferguson promised his agent Jorge Mendes that Ronaldo will play first-team football at Manchester United.
And, the legendary manager kept his promise when he gave Ronaldo his debut against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford on 16 August 2003.
United won that game 4-0, and the Portuguese wonderkid back then came off the bench and showed exactly why Ferguson was so desperate to sign him.
However, there was another Premier League giant that was eyeing for his signature. But the Red Devils made the move early and secured Ronaldo’s services.
During a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo opened up about the club he almost signed for in the Premier League. The 40-year-old said:
“I was nearly an Arsenal player. I won’t say I have a passion for the club. But I like Arsenal, I like their team, I like the way they play.”
Piers Morgan is an outright Arsenal fan. He is also vocal about the situation at Manchester United and is never shying away from criticising the club.
The British broadcaster is also a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. Previously, he gave Ronaldo an Arsenal shirt.
Cristiano Ronaldo played for Manchester United and won 3 Premier League titles, 2 League Cup titles, a Community Shield, the FA Cup, and the Champions League.
The Portuguese also won his first of his five Ballon d’Or awards with Manchester United in 2008.
READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks his silence on Donald Trump.
However, if Arsenal had made the move first and he had played for them, history could have been much different for the Gunners.
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