From Buffon to Ronaldo: Wenger’s list of Arsenal transfer misses

Arsene Wenger, the legendary Arsenal manager, had a long tenure at the club, leading to three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups. Despite his success, there were several high-profile transfer misses, including the opportunity to sign some of the biggest names in football. Here's a list of players Wenger came close to signing but ultimately did not acquire.

First on the list is Gianluigi Buffon, the legendary goalkeeper. Wenger met Buffon for dinner when the Italian was just 20 years old. Buffon had originally been signed by Juventus from Parma in 2001, and Arsenal had a chance to sign him but opted for David Seaman and later Jens Lehmann.

Next is Gerard Piqué, who would later become a Barcelona legend. Wenger had targeted the Spanish defender alongside Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi. However, Arsenal only signed Fabregas, and Piqué moved to Manchester United before returning to Barcelona.

The French center-back Raphaël Varane was another player Wenger wanted, but the deal never came to fruition. Wenger later admitted that Arsenal could have signed Varane before Real Madrid did.

Vincent Kompany, the Belgian center-back and Manchester City legend, was also on Wenger's radar. He met Kompany during the pursuit but opted for another center-back, Sol Campbell. Kompany went on to have a successful career at Manchester City.

Gareth Bale, the Welsh left-back, is another player Wenger considered but ultimately did not sign. The decision was made because Arsenal already had Ashley Cole and Gaël Clichy.

Claude Makélélé, the central midfielder, was also close to joining Arsenal. Wenger revealed that Makélélé was very close to signing, but the deal fell through. Makélélé eventually had a successful career with Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Yaya Touré, the Ivorian midfielder, trained with Arsenal and played in a pre-season match against Barnet. However, the club ultimately did not complete the deal. Touré went on to have a dominant career with Manchester City and won three Premier League titles.

Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar, was another player Wenger was interested in. The club pursued Fabregas and Piqué from Barcelona, but Messi remained in Catalonia and had a sensational career at Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami.

Ronaldinho, the Brazilian attacking midfielder, was another close call for Wenger. He met the Brazilian's brother, who also served as his agent, but the transfer was blocked by England's work-permit regulations. Ronaldinho instead joined Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese left wing, was also very close to joining Arsenal. Wenger recalled that Ronaldo visited the club with his mother, and the team was very close to signing him. However, Manchester United ultimately won the race, and Ronaldo became a global superstar at Old Trafford.