Cristiano Ronaldo Almost Joined Arsenal #shorts

In the summer of 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo almost signed for Arsenal and this story is incredible

At just 18 years old, everyone already knew Cristiano Ronaldo as he was tearing it up in sporting

He was catching the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the world. And Arsene Wenger, renowned for his eye of catching young talent, was one of the first to recognise Ronaldo's potential

Ronaldo himself even confirmed saying that I was just within an inch of joining Arsenal

He further revealed, I saw Arsene Wenger three times with my mother. Ronaldo expressed his respect for Wenger and said that Arsenal are one of the best things to happen to his career's development

He said he has a lot of respect for Arsene Wenger. He's a very clever man. Despite the near miss, he acknowledged Arsenal's role in his development, saying they're a fantastic club

And Wenger later identified Ronaldo as the player that he regrets not signing the most

And he noted, he was here with his mother and we were very close, but Arsenal couldn't meet Sporting's £12m asking price

Instead, Ronaldo would then go on to sign for Manchester United and be one of the most influential, one of the greatest players to ever play for the club

But the question just remains, what if he signed for Arsenal? Would Arsenal have been the ones that are winning the trophies, continuing the dominance, or would Ronaldo have had a completely different career

From Manchester to Madrid, Turin to Riyad, Ronaldo's journey is a testament to his unparalleled talent and determination

A transfer that almost happened, but just never did