Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Arsenal & Gunners would be champions had they signed ex-Man Utd superstar, claims Piers Morgan

In January 2023, when the winter transfer window was open and clubs across Europe were searching for that one signing that could change everything, a dramatic story was quietly sitting in the background. It was not just about goals. It was not just about trophies. It was about pride, timing, and what could have been. At the center of it all was Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest players in football history, and a bold claim from British broadcaster Piers Morgan that still divides fans today.

According to Morgan, Ronaldo wanted to join Arsenal after leaving Manchester United. And not only that, Morgan believes that if Arsenal had signed him for the rest of the 2022–23 season, they would have won the Premier League title ahead of Manchester City.

It sounds dramatic. It sounds unbelievable. But in football, sometimes the biggest stories are the ones that never happened.

To understand the weight of this claim, we must go back to December 2022. Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United had already turned sour. What started with excitement and emotion in 2021 slowly became tension, frustration, and public disagreement. Ronaldo was no longer guaranteed a starting place. The team was rebuilding under a new manager. The system was changing. The style was changing. And Ronaldo, a player who built his career on being the main man, felt pushed aside.

Everything exploded after his famous interview with Piers Morgan. In that interview, Ronaldo criticized the club, the facilities, and even the direction of Manchester United. It was raw. It was emotional. It was honest from his point of view. But it also made it impossible for him to continue at Old Trafford. Within days, Manchester United terminated his contract. Ronaldo became a free agent.

For the first time in many years, one of the most famous footballers on earth was without a club.

Rumors began immediately. Some said he would stay in Europe. Others said he would move to the United States. Some believed he might return to Portugal. A few fans even joked about impossible moves to clubs that once rejected him. But behind the scenes, according to Piers Morgan, there was interest from Ronaldo himself in joining Arsenal.

At that time, Arsenal were flying high in the Premier League. Under manager Mikel Arteta, they had built a young, energetic team full of hunger and belief. Players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli were playing fearless football. The Emirates Stadium was alive again. Arsenal were top of the league. At one point, they had a lead of 12 points over Manchester City.

Fans began to dream. After years of struggle and near misses, could this finally be the season?

But as the pressure increased, so did the cracks. Injuries hit key players. The young squad began to feel the weight of expectation. Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, slowly started to chase them down. City were experienced. They had done this before. They knew how to handle pressure in April and May.

Arsenal, on the other hand, were learning.

This is where Piers Morgan’s claim becomes interesting. He believes that Ronaldo’s experience would have made the difference. He argues that Ronaldo knows how to win major trophies. He knows how to score goals when it matters most. He has done it in England, Spain, Italy, and on the international stage. He has won five Ballon d’Or awards. He has scored in Champions League finals. He has carried teams on his back.

Morgan posted on social media that people can mock him all they want, but if Arsenal had signed Ronaldo until the end of the season, they would have won the league. He insisted Ronaldo was keen to do it.

It is a strong statement. But is it realistic?

During his short final season at Manchester United, Ronaldo scored only three Premier League goals before his contract ended. Critics argued that he no longer fit the fast, pressing style modern teams require. They said he slowed down the attack. They questioned whether he could still dominate at the highest level.

However, after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo quickly reminded the world of his finishing ability. In his first 16 appearances, he scored 12 goals. He looked sharp. He looked motivated. He looked determined to prove that he was not finished.

Of course, the Saudi Pro League is different from the Premier League. The intensity is different. The defenders are different. But goals are goals. And Ronaldo has always believed that wherever he plays, he will score.

Arsenal did make signings in January. They brought in Jorginho from Chelsea. They signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton. They added Jakub Kiwior for defensive cover. These were smart signings. Practical signings. Players who fit the system and accepted their roles.

But none of them had Ronaldo’s star power. None of them had lifted the Champions League trophy multiple times. None of them had lived through title races at the highest level year after year.

As Arsenal’s form dipped in the final weeks of the season, fans looked back at moments that cost them points. Draws that felt like defeats. Defensive mistakes. Missed chances. Games where they needed one ruthless finisher in the box.

That is when the “what if” questions started.

What if Ronaldo had been there to score a late winner?
What if his presence in the dressing room had lifted the young players?
What if his winning mentality had spread through the squad?

But football is not only about goals and mentality. It is also about balance. Would Ronaldo have accepted being rotated? Would he have pressed defenders the way Arteta demands? Would his arrival have changed the chemistry of a young team that was growing together?

Arteta has always been clear about building a long-term project. He focused on youth, energy, and unity. Ronaldo, at 38 years old at the time, would have been a short-term solution. A superstar signing for six months. That can bring excitement, but it can also bring distraction.

There is also the emotional side. Ronaldo is a Manchester United legend. Seeing him in an Arsenal shirt would have shocked the football world. Some United fans would have felt betrayed. Some Arsenal fans would have questioned signing a player so strongly linked with a rival. But football is full of surprises. Legends have crossed lines before.

As Manchester City overtook Arsenal and eventually lifted the trophy, the pain was real for the Gunners. After leading for so long, they finished second. The dream slipped away.

And that is why Morgan’s words hit so hard. Because when a team comes so close, every missed opportunity feels bigger.

Arsenal’s focus then turned to the future. They were linked with players like Declan Rice from West Ham United and Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion. The plan was clear: strengthen the squad for the long term. Build depth. Compete again.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, continued his journey in Saudi Arabia. He embraced a new challenge, a new culture, and a new league. Even at 38 and beyond, he showed that his hunger to score goals had not disappeared.

So, would Arsenal have been champions with Ronaldo?

There is no clear answer. Football does not give us the chance to replay seasons with different signings. We can only imagine.

On one side, you have the argument of experience, mentality, and clutch goals. On the other side, you have team balance, tactical fit, and long-term vision.

What is certain is that Ronaldo remains one of the most influential players of his generation. His name alone changes conversations. His presence alone creates belief for some and doubt for others.

For Arsenal, the 2022–23 season will always be remembered as the campaign where they came so close. A young team that surprised everyone. A team that led the league for months. A team that learned painful lessons about consistency and pressure.

For Ronaldo, that winter marked the end of his European club career at the highest level. It was the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.

And for Piers Morgan, it became another bold statement in his long public defense of a player he deeply admires.

Football history is full of “what if” stories. What if a transfer happened? What if a goal was scored? What if an injury never occurred?

The idea of Ronaldo in an Arsenal shirt during that title race is one of those stories. It will live in debates, on social media, and in barbershop arguments for years.

Because when a legend becomes available, and a team falls just short, imagination does the rest.

In the end, Arsenal did not sign Cristiano Ronaldo. Manchester City lifted the trophy. Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr. Life moved on.

But the question remains.

What if?