Former Juventus managing director Luciano Moggi has revealed that the Italian giants once came close to signing Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese superstar began his career at Sporting Lisbon, but moved on to Manchester United after only one full season of first-team football in 2002-03.
At Old Trafford, Ronaldo became one of the best-known players in the world game, winning three Premier League titles, the FA Cup in 2004 and the Champions League in 2008, before moving to Real Madrid in 2009.
At Real, he has been immortalised through his ongoing struggle for supremacy with Lionel Messi, as well as his remarkable goal haul for his club. He won the Champions League again—Real’s tenth title—in 2014.
However, it could all have been so different.
Former Juve MD Moggi has revealed that the Old Lady almost succeeded in signing the forward.
SEE MORE:
FM16: Top Ten Football Manager 16 Free Agents, Former Arsenal & Tottenham superstars available for nothing
FM16: Top 10 Football Manager 16 Free Agents: Best wingers available for nothing
(Video) Bomb blasts in Paris attacks, 30 confirmed dead, hostage crisis ongoing, as France defeat Germany 2-0—Martial & Giroud star
“We had reached an agreement with Sporting Lisbon on the basis of an exchange with Marcelo Salas,” he began, as per spherasports.com [as per Calcio Mertcato], “but then he preferred a move to River Plate.
“We had no money to buy him and the deal fell through. Then he went to Manchester United after a very high offer.”