Wenger says had given team shirt to Ronaldo during 'almost signing' pre-Man U stint

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ANI London
Last Updated : Oct 02 2013 | 2:05 PM IST

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo had once come so close to joining Arsenal that he was given his own No. 9 team shirt.

The Portuguese superstar had reportedly a week-long stint with Arsenal when he was a teenager and Wenger had given him an Arsenal shirt with No. 9 and his name on the back, believing that they were going to sign him.

However, the Mirror reports that Wenger said that defending Premier League champions Manchester United snatched the winger away at the last minute from multi-sports Portugal club Sporting Lisbon.

Wenger further said that Ronaldo is still the complete player ahead of Real Madrid's new record signing Gareth Bale, adding that he has a different style as compared to Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

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First Published: Oct 02 2013 | 1:55 PM IST

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