Joan Laporta reveals why Barcelona rejected Cristiano Ronaldo for Ronaldinho in 2003

• Barcelona president Joan Laporta has opened up on the Catalan club being offered Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2003
• But the five-time UEFA Champions League winners turned him down as they invested in PSG legend Ronaldinho
• Ronaldo eventually joined Manchester United €19 million, making him the most expensive teenager in the world at the time

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has recalled how he rejected the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo because of World Cup winner Ronaldinho.

The transfer was almost sealed when the 18-year-old Ronaldo was offered to the Catalan giants after he decided to leave Sporting CP in 2003.

But the Camp Nou-based club preferred to snap up a deal for Brazilian talisman Ronaldinho from French club Paris Saint-Germain, so declined the deal.

In an interview reported in Marca, Laporta revealed how an agent presented Barcelona a contract for Ronaldo.

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"We were about to sign Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez," He said.

"Marquez's people proposed Cristiano Ronaldo to us. He was at Sporting Clube at the time."

"One of his agents said that they had a player who they had sold to [Manchester] United for €19 million, but they'd sell him to us for €17 million.

"But we had already invested in Ronaldinho at the time. Cristiano played more out wide than in the centre.

"We thought we were covered, so we rejected him and I don't regret it."

Ronaldo eventually joined Manchester United to become the most expensive teenager in the world at the time.

Ronaldinho on the other hand began a trophy-laden five-year spell at Barcelona.

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Meanwhile, Spanish giants FC Barcelona could go for wantaway Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo if they miss out on Robert Lewandowski.

The Portuguese superstar wants to leave Old Trafford just a year after returning to the club from Serie A giants, Juventus.

Ronaldo's decision to exit Old Trafford is reportedly driven by his current employers' lack of Champions League football in the upcoming season.

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Ronaldo, whose future is uncertain following rumours of a possible move away from Manchester United, has been exempted from the club's pre-season preparations.

The 37-year-old was earlier linked with Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain however none of the high-profile clubs have registered interest in luring Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.