Ronaldo asks Jorge Mendes to find him a new club

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 4 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo’s morale at Juventus is at an all-time low as reports in Italy claim that he will leave the club this summer and potentially return to Man Utd.

Ronaldo signed for the Bianconeri in a blockbuster transfer from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.

He won the Scudetto in both of his first two seasons in Turin and his goalscoring record has been typically brilliant; 97 goals in 128 games.

READ MORE: How much does Cristiano Ronaldo earn and what is his net worth?

However, this season as been an unmitigated disaster for Juventus. They were dumped out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Porto and are currently struggling to qualify for the competition for next season.

With just five games remaining, Juventus are joint-fourth in Serie A with a daunting run-in.

They also are in an internal crisis with president Andrea Agnelli’s position under threat following the Super League debacle, coach Andrea Pirlo unlikely to remain past the season and directors Fabio Paratici and Pavel Nedved also on the chopping board.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, among other media outlets, Ronaldo has made the decision to leave Juventus this summer.

Ronaldo: Statistics in 2020/21

The 36-year-old has instructed his agent Jorge Mendes to find him a new club.

Although Ronaldo only has a year left on his contract, this won’t be an easy task given his astronomical earnings.

Ronaldo earns €31 million-a-year net, meaning it will cost his next club around €60m a year just for his salary.

Given Cristiano’s age and the economic climate of the world after the Coronavirus pandemic, there won’t be as many takers as would usually be the case.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has publicly stated that Ronaldo will not return to the Santiago Bernabeu, leaving Man Utd as the likeliest destination currently.

The Red Devils are in the market for a centre forward this summer, and Ronaldo would likely jump at the chance to return to the club he graced from 2003 to 2009.

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What is certain, according to Gazzetta, is that Ronaldo’s morale is at an all-time low and he has been increasingly distant and agitated since Juve’s exit to Porto.

Ronaldo has failed to score in his last three matches for the Bianconeri and has come under heavy criticism for his under-par performances of late.

Nevertheless, he is still the current top-scorer in Serie A this season and he is aiming to become the first player ever to top the goals charts in England, Spain and Italy.

Juventus play Udinese on Sunday in a must-win match before hosting Milan next weekend.