Arsenal boss Arsene
Wenger has said he was "very close" to signing Cristiano Ronaldo
before he joined Manchester United in August
2003.
Wenger believes the Portuguese
winger Ronaldo signed for United due to the club's links with
Sporting Lisbon.
Wenger said: "He was here much
earlier - he could tell you that if he wants.
"Manchester United had a
partnership with Sporting Lisbon when United assistant coach Carlos
Queiroz moved and that made it very difficult."
Wenger added of Ronaldo: "I
knew about him yes. We were very close."
But he refused to elaborate
any further when questioned about Ronaldo's time with
Arsenal.
"I don't want to create any
story that isn't needed," the Frenchman told BBC football
correspondent Jonathan Legard.
"One day I will tell you more
about that story and you will be surprised. You will have to ask
him how close it was."
Ronaldo has been in
sensational form all season, scoring 27 goals as well as setting up
countless others for the Premier League leaders.
Since joining Arsenal in 1996,
Wenger has established an unparallelled reputation for identifying
and buying Europe's finest young players.