"We have a very good relationship with Jorge Mendes" - Barcelona president Joan Laporta opens up on being offered the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo
Joao Laporta has hinted Barcelona were offered Cristiano Ronaldo amid his Manchester United exit talks, as per CBS Sports. However, the Catalan side's president decided to move for Robert Lewandowski instead.
Ronaldo is reportedly looking to leave Manchester United this summer as he wants to continue playing in the Champions League. The Red Devils failed to qualify after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season.
Should Man United let Cristiano Ronaldo go? 🤔 https://t.co/UnQaXNAITX
While speaking to CBS Sports, Laporta was quizzed on the rumors of Ronaldo being offered to Barcelona. The club president did not rebuff the claims and hinted that he was an option for them this summer. However, the Spaniard explained why they picked Lewandowski instead and said:
"Well, this type of story is all within the process of the summer window. There always appears a lot of news. But in the end the truth is we wanted Lewandowski. We have a very good relationship with Jorge Mendes. I have known him for a long time. He is one of the best player agents. He knows how to do his job and I respect him."
Laporta added:
"In this case, we decided to go for Lewandowski and knew he was crucial to our success. So we went to Bayern instead. This is the reality. The other [Ronaldo] topic is just part of the "little history" of football. It's a very nice story, but you will always hear lots of contradictory news about it. We got Lewandowski. He was our main target and I prefer not to comment further."
Cristiano Ronaldo still at Manchester United after showdown talks
Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to training at Carrington as he is yet to find a new club.
#MUFC
Cristiano Ronaldo announces he’s back with Manchester United team as he’s gonna play friendly game vs Rayo Vallecano: “Sunday, the king plays”, he just commented. 🚨🇵🇹 #MUFC
Here’s his message on Instagram: https://t.co/HrPzk0Rzur
Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid have reportedly confirmed that they are not interested in signing the forward this summer.
Laporta was quizzed on the future of Cristiano Ronaldo and he added:
"Ronaldo is a very good professional and he's still so fit. He's a player who is very ambitious and competitive and I am sure he has a lot of options. He's still a player of Manchester United, an extraordinary club who I respect very much. His future is not my business. It's the business of Manchester United and Cristiano."