Mirabelli, who served as AC Milan's sporting director between 2016 and 2018 and is now at Padova, made the disclosure in an interview with journalist Carlo Pellegatti. He said the approach came at the direct request of the Chinese ownership, who wanted a high-profile signing to signal their ambition.
"The Chinese ownership asked us to make a high-profile move," Mirabelli said. "At that time, Cristiano Ronaldo had experienced some tax problems and complications at Real Madrid.
"At the Champions League final in Cardiff — Juventus against Real Madrid — we met with Jorge Mendes. We put together a proposal, this idea, and Cristiano was very much attracted by it."
Mirabelli said Ronaldo's stated motivation surprised them.
"When we spoke — me, Fassone, and also Gattuso — he said: 'I'll come to Milan. I have never played in the Europa League and I want to come and win it.' He had created a powerful motivation for himself. He didn't dismiss the fact that it wasn't the Champions League. He wanted to win the Europa League. He was incredibly motivated."
The deal reached an advanced stage before falling apart.
"We had reached agreements with Real Madrid and with Jorge Mendes regarding the player. Everything was fine. And then it didn't happen — the Chinese pulled out."
On the financial terms, Mirabelli was approximate: "Real Madrid wanted €100 million, though discussions could have gone further and the figure could have come down. Cristiano Ronaldo also had a very significant salary. I wouldn't want to get this wrong, but I believe all of this took place in the summer of 2018."
The Juventus versus Real Madrid final in Cardiff took place in June 2017 — a year before Mirabelli departed Milan. The discrepancy in his timeline may reflect an imperfect recollection of the year, or two separate encounters being conflated. Ronaldo ultimately joined Juventus in the summer of 2018 for €117 million, ending his nine-year spell at Real Madrid.
He spent three seasons in Turin before returning to Manchester United and subsequently moving to Al Nassr. He is currently at the 2026 World Cup with Portugal.