Arsène Wenger’s Biggest Transfer Regret: Missing Out on Cristiano Ronaldo
In football , few missed opportunities are as significant as Arsène Wenger’s failure to sign Cristiano Ronaldo for Arsenal. The legendary former Arsenal manager has often spoken about this regret, recognizing that the signing could have transformed both the club and the player’s career trajectory.
In the early 2000s, Wenger identified Ronaldo, then a rising star at Sporting Lisbon, as a potential signing for Arsenal. The young Portuguese winger was making waves with his extraordinary talent, and Arsenal came very close to bringing him to North London. In fact, Ronaldo even visited Arsenal’s training ground and held talks with Wenger, who was impressed with his abilities and eager to finalize the deal.
However, football is often shaped by timing. While Arsenal seemed to be on the verge of securing Ronaldo’s signature, Manchester United made their move. After a stunning performance by Ronaldo in a friendly against United, Sir Alex Ferguson acted swiftly to sign him. Manchester United’s offer quickly closed the deal, and Ronaldo made the switch to Old Trafford instead.
Reflecting on this missed opportunity, Wenger has said, “Of course, I regret it. He was here with his mother, we were very close. But Manchester United came in quickly, and we couldn’t compete with their offer at the time.”
Cristiano Ronaldo went on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning numerous Premier League titles, Champions Leagues, and five Ballon d’Or awards. For Arsenal, the chance to have Ronaldo alongside Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp in that era remains a tantalizing “what if” scenario.
Although Wenger enjoyed immense success at Arsenal, leading the club to multiple titles and establishing them as one of England’s most exciting teams, he has always acknowledged that missing out on Cristiano Ronaldo was a major regret. Had Arsenal secured the deal, the club’s fortunes—and perhaps football history—might have looked very different.
