CRISTIANO RONALDO will have to look for new options after Chelsea elected NOT to make a move for the Manchester United ace.
The 37-year-old wants to leave Old Trafford this summer and hasn’t turned up for pre-season training.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains keen to leave Man United
Chelsea chief Todd Boehly has ended his interest after signing Raheem Sterling
His options look slim, however, with Chelsea becoming the latest team to snub a transfer.
New owner Todd Boehly met with Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes, and a switch was briefly considered.
But after talks between the American businessman and manager Thomas Tuchel, the brief pursuit was ended.
Chelsea instead signed Raheem Sterling for £47.5million, while their attention has now turned to improving their defence.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain had already made it clear that they wouldn’t be moving for the Portuguese star.
Ronaldo has no offers on the table, but someone is bound to take an interest before the end of the window after he scored 24 goals last season.
Erik ten Hag insisted this week that his No7 is NOT for sale.
But with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still set on leaving, let’s take a look at some of the destinations that could materialise over the next six weeks.
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REAL MADRID
One of Ronaldo’s reasons for wanting to leave Man United is his desire to contend for top trophies.
And there isn’t anywhere better to do that than Madrid, as CR7 well knows.
He enjoyed an incredible nine-year spell at the Bernabeu, scoring 450 goals in 438 games and winning the Champions League four times.
After failing to sign Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, Madrid could look to Ronaldo as a high-calibre stop gap later in the window.
Ronaldo knows a thing or two about winning trophies at Real Madrid
SPORTING LISBON
Ronaldo could opt to make an emotional homecoming to Portugal this summer.
The striker played for his boyhood club during his teenage years, prior to moving to Man United the first time in 2003.
Last November, his mum Dolores urged him to come home and play for Sporting once again.
She told the ADN de Leao podcast: “Ronaldo has to come back [to Sporting], he’d be here for me. He likes watching Sporting’s games. I’ve already told him: ‘Son, before I die I want to see you return to Sporting’. ‘Let’s see… .’, he said.”
CR7 started his career at Sporting
NEWCASTLE
If Ronaldo fancies staying England, Newcastle could definitely afford him.
The Toon’s controversial new Saudi owners would surely love to make a big splash in the transfer market, should the opportunity arise.
Newcastle’s timeline may not fit with Ronaldo’s, as they cannot offer European football next season.
But CR7 may back himself to be the man that could finally deliver glory to Tyneside.
Newcastle witnessed Ronaldo’s goalscoring prowess first hand last season
SAUDI ARABIA
Ronaldo has reportedly been offered an eyewatering £2million-a-week contract by an unnamed Saudi Arabian club.
The superstar has not previously shown a desire to leave Europe and play in Asia, but that sort of staggering deal could at least make him stop and consider.
CNN Portugal claim the unknown club are set to offer United £25m for the wantaway forward.
They’ve reportedly offered Ronaldo a two-year deal worth a staggering £211m – which works out to £2m a week.
Ronaldo has been offered big money by a Saudi Arabian club
DC UNITED
Could Cristiano resist an emotional reunion with former strike partner Wayne Rooney?
Probably, but it would be worth a try for Wazza and his new team DC United.
The duo enjoyed incredible success together at Old Trafford before Ronaldo left for Madrid in 2009.
So wouldn’t it be fitting if CR7’s last hurrah as a player helped Rooney really get his managerial career up and running?
Who could resist a reunion between these two?
