Cristiano Ronaldo transfer: Chelsea prepare €16.5m bid
FT Desk
- Updated: 8 Jul 2022 12:19 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea are set to bid £14m/€16.5m for Manchester United's wantaway superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo has not travelled for Manchester United's pre-season camp in Thailand, with the player understood to be eager to find a way out of Old Trafford.
United failed to qualify for the Champions League last term despite Ronaldo's team-high 18 Premier League goals, and he is understood to want to play at Europe's top table for the final years of his career.
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An alleged 25 per cent pay cut at Old Trafford has also helped turn Ronaldo's head, and reports emerging from England suggest that Chelsea could be ready to make a £14m/€16.5m bid.
Ronaldo has one more year left to run on his current contract, but at 37 and with little chance of a later sale for Chelsea, the amount - a fraction of the €94m/£80m it took for Real Madrid to prise him away the last time he left United - could be enough.
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British sports journalist Peter O'Rourke reports that Todd Boehly, the new Chelsea owner, has already had a meeting with Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes.
Ronaldo has also been linked with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Napoli and Roma since his desire to leave first became known.
Why would Chelsea want Ronaldo?
Chelsea have a host of players who enjoy playing off a striker in the final third, with Raheem Sterling about to be added to a pool that already includes Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic.
Romelu Lukaku bombed last season on returning to the Blues, only returning eight league goals after his €115m move from Inter Milan, but Tuchel would be happy to have alternative in attack to False 9 Kai Havertz.
Ronaldo scored 18 league goals last term, seven more than Chelsea top scorer Mason Mount, and the hope is that his lack of pressing could be assuaged by the youthful company he would have in the final third.
