CITY TAKING A RON TURN?
AS KANE GETS BACK TO BUSINESS AT SPURS, PEP’S MEN ‘OFFERED’ CUT-PRICE CRISTIANO
CRISTIANO RONALDO could make an astonishing £25million move to Manchester City despite previously vowing he would never play for Manchester United’s closest rivals.
Reports in Italy claim Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has already offered City the 36-year-old as a cheaper alternative to Harry Kane, with Tottenham unwilling to accept their £127m bid for the striker.
It has also been suggested Ronaldo is refusing to speak to his Juventus teammates or coach Massimiliano Allegri as he looks to leave the Italian giants.
And with his former boss Carlo Ancelotti yesterday closing the door on a return to Real Madrid, the Etihad Stadium has emerged as his likeliest destination.
Ronaldo is said to have been left angry at being overshadowed by Lionel Messi’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and does not want a fourth season at Juventus, having failed to add to his five Champions League titles in Turin.
A Spanish television programme on Monday night claimed Ancelotti wanted Ronaldo to return to Madrid, but the Italian appeared to close that door yesterday.
‘Cristiano is a Real Madrid legend and has all my affection and respect,’ Ancelotti tweeted. ‘I’ve never considered signing him. We look forward.’
Meanwhile, Ronaldo last night released a statement insisting ‘my story at Real Madrid has been written’ and criticising speculation about his future.
‘More than the disrespect for me as a man and as a player, the frivolous way my future is covered in the media is disrespectful to all the clubs involved in these rumours, as well as their players and staff,’ he said.
If Ronaldo were to cross the Manchester divide – he starred for United between 2003 and 2009 – it may well have an impact on Kane with City refusing to pay the £150m demanded by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. The clearest sign yet that Kane may be resigned to remaining at Tottenham for now came yesterday when he trained with the Spurs squad for the first time since being forced to isolate after returning from his holiday in the Bahamas. The 28-year-old missed Sunday’s 1-0 win over City but could feature in tomorrow’s Europa Conference League clash away to Pacos de Ferreira.