‘Ronaldo couldn’t play here!’ – Top coach denies CR7 transfer rumour

Robin Bairner

• 2 Jun 2023 15:14 BST
• 2 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo has rarely found himself out of the headlines in recent months, with his explosive exit from Manchester United rapidly followed up by a dramatic start to life in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.

Ronaldo’s career might have taken a very different direction last summer, however, when rumours of his unhappiness at Man Utd first started to appear some weeks before the player’s frustration finally reached a breaking point with an explosive interview that ended his time in the Premier League.

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Although the player’s camp were initially guarded on the possibility he could leave Old Trafford, there were soon rumours linking him to virtually every major club in Europe’s Top Five leagues – and even some in outside these leading championships.

One of the most credible tracks on paper with a possible move to Atletico Madrid, who were in dire need of a centre-forward at the time and based in a city in which Ronaldo was already familiar and previously settled.

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Simeone: I didn’t try to sign Ronaldo

Diego Simeone, the head coach of the Spanish side, has now broken his silence on these rumours and said that it would have been impossible for ‘CR7’ to have crossed the divide between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Speaking to COPE, he was asked about the prospect of luring the great forward back to LaLiga a year ago.

“I didn’t try,” he claimed. “He’s an extraordinary player, but Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t play for Atletico Madrid in the same way that Diego Simeone couldn’t coach Real Madrid.”

The issue in the Argentine’s mind is clearly that the rivalry between the two clubs is too intense, with nothing mentioned over a potential clash of styles.

It was believed last summer that Atletico had made efforts to sign Ronaldo but that a deal was made impossible because of the wage demands set by the former Manchester United striker.