Arsenal turned down chance to sign 15-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo - Comolli

Comolli – who subsequently went on to hold director of football roles at Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool – says he spotted a teenage Ronaldo and recommended him to Arsene Wenger and the club, but the Gunners opted against stumping up the cash to secure a deal for the prospect.

"The first time I saw Ronaldo, it was at the Montaigu tournament, he was 15," Comolli told SFR Sport. "He played against Japan before and I thought: ‘Who the hell is this?’

"At half-time, I called my contact in Portugal to which I said that I had seen a phenomenon. Since Thierry Henry, I had never seen anyone like that.

"He came to the [Arsenal] training centre twice. Nobody knows that. He met Thierry, who was his idol. But when it came to making the transfer, there was no money."

Just six months after Ronaldo’s trip to north London, his club Sporting Lisbon agreed a partnership with Manchester United which resulted in the star’s move to Old Trafford.