Ronaldo joined Italian side Juventus last summer in a big money move that set the media on fire, but the Portuguese playmaker could have joined Ac Milan in the summer of 2017 according to former Sporting Director of Milan Massimiliano Mirabelli.

Massimiliano Mirabelli admitted that though the deal was not financially feasible as at the time, Ronaldo would have been putting on a Milan Jersey instead of the black and white stripes of Juventus had the current owners of the Rossoneri been at the helm of affairs.

Speaking to TV channel Sportitalia, he said: “It was something we talked about with Jorge Mendes.

“We knew there could be problems with Real and Ronaldo. We did everything, but then the Chinese owners blocked the deal because it was not sustainable.

“With the current owners CR7 would have been a Milan player.”

AC Milan were taken over by American hedge fund Elliot Management in July to end Li’s one-year spell at the club.

Mirabelli also revealed how they attempted to appoint former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as manager.

He added: “I was proud to have made this choice [appointing Gattuso] because of his professionalism, his seriousness and the love he and his staff put into their work.

“The Chinese owners did not agree because they thought from the outside it would look like a backward step, but I explained that for me Rino was the coach of the future. He has worked in Greece, Serie C and B and for me this is a positive.

“We listened to [Conte], we talked directly. It was a chat that didn’t result in anything.”