Ranking the 5 most realistic destinations for Cristiano Ronaldo this summer
Cristiano Ronaldo has told Manchester United that he wants to leave the club this summer, according to reports. Ronaldo is frustrated over the lack of ambition the club has shown in the ongoing summer transfer window. The 37-year-old is already disappointed with the fact that he won't be playing Champions League next season.
#Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo told Man United he wants to leave this summer as he wants to see more ambition. Man Utd are still hopeful of keeping CR7, but aware of decision. 🚨🇵🇹 #Ronaldo
Cristiano has no agreement with any other club. Mendes explored options for weeks and will continue. https://t.co/VRji13zrz0
Ronaldo was Manchester United's best player last season and received the 'Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year' award as well. The legendary Portuguese striker knows that he has only a few seasons left in the top flight and wants to play for a club that shows a desire to compete for all trophies
Manchester United are hoping to hold on to Ronaldo despite the player's desire to leave. But anything could happen. Without further ado, let’s rank the five realistic destinations for Ronaldo.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo to AS Roma
Former AS Roma player Angelo Di Livio, on Retesport’s 1927 program, claimed that the club are set to make a blockbuster move for Cristiano Ronaldo. Di Livio said (via AS):
“I know from various sources that Roma are trying to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and July 7 could be the date of the announcement. It’s a bit tactless, but the rumour has been circulating for a while in the football world.
By chance, I spoke with a friend who works on television and who found out about the negotiations for Cristiano from an important club manager at a dinner a few days ago."
One of the main problems with Roma is that they are without Champions League football like Manchester United. But Ronaldo might relish the opportunity to work with Jose Mourinho once again. The duo won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during their stint together at Real Madrid.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo to Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain recently appointed Luis Campos as their sporting advisor. He is looking to take the club away from being a glorified marketing campaign to a serious sporting entity.
As such, PSG could turn away from the opportunity to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and pour cold water over our hopes of seeing a Lionel Messi-Ronaldo union. However, with Neymar Jr. reportedly put on sale and likely to leave the club in the summer, PSG will need to strengthen their attack.
Ronaldo has already shown that he still has what it takes to cut it at the highest level. PSG could use him as a stop-gap signing while Ronaldo pushes hard for another Champions League title.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo to Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are yet another club who could use Cristiano Ronaldo as a short-term solution. Bayern Munich's legendary marksman Robert Lewandowski has announced multiple times during this summer that he wants to leave the club.
Barcelona are keen to rope him in but the Bavarians have been playing hard ball. They want the Polish striker to remain at the club until his contract expires next summer. But with Lewandowski making no secret of his intention to leave the club, it might be in the club's best interest to cash in on him this summer.
If they do, they will need an elite goalscorer to replace him in the upcoming season. That's where Ronaldo can come in. He won't command a fortune in transfer fees and could help Bayern Munich transition into the post-Lewandowski era rather seamlessly.
#FCB
Barça president Laporta: “Robert Lewandowski is FC Bayern player and I prefer to keep this situation quiet. We’re really happy that he wants to join Barça”. 🚨🇵🇱 #FCB
“We just want to say thanks to him as he wants to come to Barcelona”. https://t.co/Qd7S5Xud7y
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo to Napoli
The extremely reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed that Napoli are a club that are interested in Cristiano Ronaldo. The Partenopei finished third in Serie A last term but could have done better if their star striker Victor Osimhen's availability wasn't limited due to injuries.
Napoli could bolster their attack with Ronaldo, who will bring in much valuable Champions League experience. The 37-year-old also has plenty of experience playing in Serie A, winning two Scudettos and two Italian Super Cups in three seasons with Juventus. He scored 101 goals in 134 games for the Old Lady.
If he ends up propelling Napoli to domestic or European success, Ronaldo could end up being revered in Naples like Maradona is.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo to Chelsea
Chelsea co-owner Tedd Boehly met with Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes last week to discuss a potential move, as per The Atheltic. The Blues are desperate to sign a proven goalscorer after offloading Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan on loan.
Timo Werner cannot be entirely relied upon due to his poor finishing. Manchester United are unlikely to want to sell to Chelsea but if they do turn in a lucrative offer, the Red Devils might just accept it.
But it's worth noting that Thomas Tuchel is a coach whose tactical nous enables him to be efficient at game-management. This means that Tuchel will keep making changes to his side even during games. Ronaldo should only go to Chelsea if he is willing to accept those decisions.