FIVE POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR WANTAWAY RONALDO

CRISTIANO Ronaldo is determined to leave Real Madrid this summer, in a decision that has been described as “irreversible” by reports in his native Portugal.

The 32-year-old is understood to be furious with his treatment by Spanish tax authorities and wants to leave Spain after a lawsuit was brought against him accusing him of defrauding the taxpayer of nearly €15m (R223m)

Real Madrid said they were “absolutely convinced of his innocence” but Portuguese daily A Bola claimed that he was so “indignant” at what he felt amounts to persecution that he was ready to leave only weeks after winning his third Champions League with the club.

Ronaldo will not be short of options should he get his way and leave the Spanish capital, with clubs all over the globe throwing money at him to sign him. The Independent looks at the five most likely destinations for the Real Madrid superstar. Manchester United Manchester United would be keen to bring back Ronaldo to Old Trafford with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward obsessed with signing a star attraction every summer. He has so far been left frustrated in his attempts to land one this summer.

Jose Mourinho is desperate for a new No9 since deciding against renewing Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract and given Ronaldo’s positional change from a wideman to a more central role, the Portuguese would be the perfect candidate.

Money would not be a problem for United and Woodward would dearly love to be the person to deliver the return of one of Old Trafford’s favourite sons. The No 7 shirt is free, too. Paris Saint-Germain PSG are long-term admirers of Ronaldo and held a number of secret meetings with him over a possible move to the French capital during the 2015/16 season.

Club president Nasser El-Khelaifi would jump at another chance to sign Ronaldo. PSG are undergoing change having failed to win Ligue 1 for the first time since 2012 and have missed that star name since Ibrahimovic left 12 months ago. LA Galaxy The Galaxy are the most attractive club in the MLS for European players since David Beckham and are searching for a star name of their own, with Ibrahimovic one of their leading contenders.

Money, again, wouldn’t be a problem, as they have space for a “designated player” who, according to MLS rules, isn’t bound by a salary cap. The LA lifestyle would suit Ronaldo perfectly and give him an opportunity to enhance his brand and other enterprises by opening it to the American market.

However, Ronaldo is a winner with a fiercely competitive edge and while he has hinted at a US stint in the past, it is hard to imagine him going to a league with that low a standard so soon after winning back-to-back Champions Leagues. His hopes of a fourth Ballon d’Or would evaporate with the move, too. China Chinese clubs would be throwing money at Ronaldo’s feet like it’s going out of fashion. He could fetch up to £1m (R16.9m) a-week in China and again would expand his brand to the whole of the Asian market.

If money is Ronaldo’s only remaining motivation then China is the obvious choice and he could transcend the league into something respectable, like Beckham did to the MLS. But, yet again, it would almost certainly mean no Ballon d’Or. Monaco Monaco have a lot of money and with the bait of Kylian Mbappe dangling in front of Real Madrid, they could negotiate a good deal for Ronaldo. The 32-year-old’s agent Jorge Mendes has strong ties to the club and would ensure the best possible deal for Ronaldo. Also, living in Monaco, there wouldn’t be the same, or any, issues with tax.

He would have the finest lifestyle, be worshipped as a king and still be playing in the Champions League – Monaco ticks a lot more of the boxes than initially expected. – The Independent