UTAMU JAMANI

Former AC Milan chief executive Marco Fassone claimed Cristiano Ronaldo was open for a move to San Siro before joining Serie A champions Juventus last season. Ronaldo made a big deal with LaLiga Real Madrid for Juve in a € 112million blockbuster deal before the 2018-19 season, however, there was a clear intention from Milan before he was transferred. Former athletic director Massimiliano Mirabelli claimed Ronaldo was on the brink of signing Milan before former ownership – led by Li Yonghong – canceled the deal before blocking fund Elliott Management took control of the Italian team.>> And Fassone, who followed Mirabelli from Milan after taking office in July last year, backed the allegations. “The president wanted Cristiano Ronaldo, but the statistics told us this was not known,” Fassone told Sportitalia. “Ronaldo was open to exploring the opportunity, as Milan is a popular club and there was enthusiasm around us. “However, we’ve neve...