The ultimate
UNITED CRAZY NOT TO SIGN SUPERSTAR – BUT I FEAR IT’S PLOY BY RON’S AGENT
IF there is even a glimmer of a chance that Manchester United could get Cristiano Ronaldo for around the £150million mark this summer they’d be foolish to let the opportunity pass.
He’s 32 years old but super-motivated and United could probably get two very good years out of him at least, plus a huge chunk of that sum back, given the commercial juggernaut that is operating out of Old Trafford.
They are doing that with Paul Pogba and could roll out the same sort of ‘He’s coming home’ fanfare for Ronaldo to get things going – and the cash tills ringing.
I could easily see the Portuguese superstar going back to his old stamping ground and, from a purely footballing perspective, it makes absolute sense.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no more and you have players such as Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan who would be emboldened by his arrival.
Signing t he s erial Ballon d’Or winner wouldn’t half take the pressure off Pogba’s shoulders as well.
The Frenchman could just get on with the business of playing football – and that would be beneficial all round.
I’d have no doubts that Ronaldo would get his 20, 25 goals as a centre-forward – he’s big, he’s powerful and he has done it before in the Premier League.
Massive
His return would be huge for United and, given the brain drain we have seen in recent years with Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Co going to La Liga, it would also be a massive coup for the English top flight.
For Jose Mourinho it would be a major fillip, too.
Yes, there has been bad blood between the fellow countrymen in the past but, ultimately, winners are pragmatists.
And if Sir Alex Ferguson could be very harsh on club legend Wayne Rooney, and then five minutes later drape an arm around his shoulder after watching him pen a new deal, then anything can happen.
That’s what men like that do. They look at situations, detach themselves from any emotion and say, ‘What can be done to get you your deal and me where I want to go?’
Then Mourinho could say, ‘Here’s the world’s best player coming to arguably the world’s biggest club – we’re back’.
Having qualified for the Champions League and won two trophies in his first season it would be a massive feather in the manager’s cap.
Of course, all this has come about because Ronaldo is said to feel let down by Real Madrid and the fact they haven’t done enough to back him over allegations of tax fraud. Players are Follow us on Twwitwtewr.: @ lceosp. advised on their tax dealings by their agents and financial advisers, and it is why a lot of them end up in Spain.
This is the second high-profile case La Liga has seen in recent weeks on the back of the one involving Lionel Messi.
And, while it’s safe to say most footballers will leave it to their dad or