“Very great potential” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s old comments on Manchester United target resurfaces
Manchester United are currently being linked with Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele, who is on the verge of leaving the club after refusing to renew his contract.
Amid rumors of a potential Old Trafford switch, a comment from Cristiano Ronaldo endorsing the Frenchman back in 2017 has resurfaced and is gaining attention.
The Manchester United superstar named the Frenchman among players he believed had the potential to become Ballon d'Or winners in the future. The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Rashford and Eden Hazard also featured on the list.
Mehdi Benatia:
🗣 "When I was at Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo told me that Mbappé, Neymar, Hazard and Ousmane Dembélé will be the players who will fight for the Ballon d'Or after him and Messi." https://t.co/6dSe97aNNM
"[There are] at least ten players with very, very great potential. I see some with great potential: [Marco] Asensio, [Kylian] Mbappe, Neymar, [Ousmane] Dembele, [Eden] Hazard, [Marcus] Rashford… and some others.
"In the next generation, there are at least ten players with very, very great potential," Cristiano Ronaldo was quoted as saying as per Manchester Evening News.
Barcelona signed Ousmane Dembele as a replacement for Neymar, who left for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017.
Much was expected from the Frenchman following a €105 million transfer to Camp Nou, but it is quite unfortunate he has failed to reach his potential in the Catalan capital due to constant injury crises.
Man United linked Ousmane Dembele is reportedly set on Premier League move #mufc
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football…
As it stands, the 24-year-old is closer than ever to leaving the Catalan capital after turning down the Blaugrana's contract renewal offer. It is believed he intends to part ways with the club and relaunch his career elsewhere, with Manchester United being one of his potential destinations.
Manchester United's main rivals in the race for Ousmane Dembele's signature
The Red Devils will face intense competition for the signing of the Barcelona winger, with multiple clubs keeping a close eye on his situation at Camp Nou. According to Spanish outlet MARCA, the likes of PSG, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are also interested in the player's services.
Barca, meanwhile, will try their best to sell Dembele in the closing hours of the winter transfer window. This is to avoid losing the player on a free transfer in the summer as he is already in the final year of his contract with the Catalan club.