Ronaldo might be eyeing exit
Manchester United will fight to retain Cristiano Ronaldo after their striker indicated he wanted to leave the club this summer. The Premier League club’s planning has been thrown into turmoil following reports that Ronaldo, 37, is keen to end his second spell with United after less than 12 months, should they receive a suitable offer.
United declined to comment but their position is very much that Ronaldo is not for sale and remains under contract at Old Trafford for at least one more season.
United also insist they have not received any offers for the veteran forward, despite uncertainty over his future and agent Jorge Mendes apparently investigating the possible market for his star client in recent weeks.
Chelsea, Napoli and Bayern Munich, who have distanced themselves from the pursuit of Ronaldo, publicly at least, are understood to have been informed of the situation by Mendes.
Ronaldo is due back into pre-season training with new United manager Erik ten Hag today after being given an extended break following a summer of international duty with Portugal.
With United departing for their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia this week, his immediate future is sure to dominate Ten Hag’s agenda.
Ronaldo cut an unhappy figure over the closing weeks of last season as United’s attempt to finish in the top four floundered badly.
It was widely reported that the veteran striker had demanded a summer of significant squad strengthening for him to commit to the second year of his contract. That deal, signed in late August 2021, was a two-year contract, with a standard club option to extend it for one more year.
It has been widely accepted in the game that, given Ronaldo’s status, the decision over whether to see out the second year would lie with him though there is no indication whether his contract contains a release clause.
Given his phenomenal fitness, Ronaldo feels he could play at the highest level for three or four more years but he is apparently not prepared to “waste” one of those seasons in the relative obscurity of the Europa League, where United will be forced to play in the coming season.
Significantly, reports in Germany recently claimed Mendes had “offered” Ronaldo to Bayern, although the Bundesliga champions publicly denied any interest.
Mendes was seen in a meeting with the new Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly, and, it is believed that Ronaldo’s status was one of the topics.
For the first time since 2010, United went through June without having added a new player in the summer window.
Although deals are ongoing for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, left-back Tyrell Malacia and Ajax centre-half Lisandro Martinez, United have yet to complete any of them for their new manager. — Telegraph Group UK