'Juventus could've signed Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003'
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Luciano Moggi has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo was on the verge of joining Juventus when he was 17 before the move was scuppered by Marcelo Salas.
The former Bianconeri sporting director had reached a deal with Sporting Lisbon for Ronaldo back in 2003, but Salas, who was going to return to Portugal, ruined everything.
Salas, who was part of the transfer, did not want to move to Sporting and despite Moggi's best efforts to convince the Chilean to join the Portuguese outfit, the hitman was not interested.
Just days later, Manchester United came in with the offer that Sporting wanted and the rest is history.
"I was working at Juventus and we already had Cristiano Ronaldo when he was 17," Moggi told Radio Sportiva.
"Unfortunately, Marcelo Salas refused the transfer to Sporting Lisbon in exchange.
"Manchester United then turned up with £12.8 million and the whole negotiation process collapsed."
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| Photo: Bauer Griffin |
The former Bianconeri sporting director had reached a deal with Sporting Lisbon for Ronaldo back in 2003, but Salas, who was going to return to Portugal, ruined everything.
Salas, who was part of the transfer, did not want to move to Sporting and despite Moggi's best efforts to convince the Chilean to join the Portuguese outfit, the hitman was not interested.
Just days later, Manchester United came in with the offer that Sporting wanted and the rest is history.
"I was working at Juventus and we already had Cristiano Ronaldo when he was 17," Moggi told Radio Sportiva.
"Unfortunately, Marcelo Salas refused the transfer to Sporting Lisbon in exchange.
"Manchester United then turned up with £12.8 million and the whole negotiation process collapsed."
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