Back in 2003, Arsenal were not to know that almost a decade of trophies and dominance under the managerial reign of Arsene Wenger were coming to an end. We had just finished second to Man United the previous season and were about to go and record the amazing achievement of not losing a single Premier League game all season.
But that was to be the last title for the Gunners and the end of our hard fought rivalry with Ferguson and his United team. Another thing happened that summer that could have had a massive effect on the two club’s differing fortunes in the future, the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
In a report by the Daily Express, Arsene Wenger admits that failing to sign the Portuguese teenager that summer is his biggest transfer regret and that it still hurts, especially as joined our fierce rivals and helped them to lots of trophies, including the Champions League. That was just two years after our own heartbreaking final defeat by Barcelona.
Wenger said, “My biggest regret, I was so close to signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
“And not only did I not get him, but he signed for Manchester United.
“That, of course, still hurts today.”
Who knows what would have happened if Wenger had gone the extra mile to sign the double Ballon D’Or winner, but there is a good chance we would have won that final and other domestic trophies as well. Also, the £80 million that Real Madrid paid for him would have come in handy.
Wenger has had plenty of success in the transfer market as well, but it is about time he came up with another superstar. Could Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, or even Mesut Ozil, be that player?