With rumours continue to loom about Cristiano Ronaldo’s unhappiness in Spain, some of the biggest clubs in world football on alert in a bid to sign the Real Madrid forward.
So here, we assess possible destinations for the Portuguese international, and which of the club on the list base on their current status can afford the four-time Ballon d’Or winner.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Cristiano Ronaldo has made no secret of his affection for Manchester United – the club he left to join Real Madrid in 2009 after six years spell at Old Trafford – and there is no secret United’s boss Jose Mourinho would welcome his compatriot with open arms. The Red Devils have been struggling in terms of scoring for the past two decades and, with the crocked Zlatan Ibrahimovic already released, there is a slot ready to be filled up at Old Trafford. United are certainly one of the few clubs capable of putting together a financial package to re-sign the Portuguese man, as they are predicting record revenues of up to £570million this year.
PARIS ST. GERMAIN
The overthrown Ligue 1 champions will be in the market to make a statement this summer, and the French’s club wealthy Qatari owners will certainly be interested in signing Ronaldo. Speculations of a possible move to the Parc des Princes have persisted for the past few years and this could be their best chance to finally hijack the former Sporting Lisbon star. A fee well in excess of £100million would be no barrier for the Les Perisiens and they could match any European club in the war of the astronomical wages.
CHINESE SUPER LEAGUE
Should Cristiano Ronaldo be interested in moving in for the highest bidder, then he need look no further than potential interest from China. His former team-mate Carlos Tevez is earning a mouth-watering £615,000-a-week playing for Shanghai Shenhua so the Portuguese man can expect to earn a mind-boggling figure – perhaps earning a whooping £50million per season. Whether he wants to pursue a career in the Far East is another matter. He is still Real’s outstanding player and will feel he has a lot more to offer at the very highest level.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Los Angeles Galaxy have made some incredible big signings in the past – David Beckham and Steven Gerrard among them – but signing a world-class talent like Ronaldo at the peak of his powers would be a huge statement. He would no problems about the lifestyle on offer in California but the standard of competition in the Major League Soccer could again be a factor. The mega-rich Seattle Sounders could be another ideal destination for him in the United States, but that is not certain.
MANCHESTER CITY
Given his time at rivals Manchester United – where he won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup twice and the Champions League in 2008 – a move to the Etihad Stadium could be no issue. Manchester City wealth can afford him, but it is highly unlikely Pep Guardiola would sanction a move for the 32-year-old given the abundance of attacking his side already have. However, should the Portuguese man make any indication he favours a move to the blue half of Manchester, it would not be beyond the realms of possibility.