Five players who could replace Ronaldo at Man Utd

Cameron Smith

4 Jul 2022 16:38 BST
4 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo has issued a request to be allowed to leave Manchester United this summer if the Red Devils receive an appropriate bid for his services.

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The 37-year-old only re-joined the club last summer after spending 13 years at Real Madrid and Juventus, but he already wants to leave.

Man Utd and Sir Alex Ferguson pulled out all the stocks to convince Ronaldo to join them over rivals Manchester City in 2021, but their hard-work has been rewarded with one season of prolific output and a wish to leave.

Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes has already entered talks with a number of clubs, including Chelsea and Bayern Munich, but it's yet to be known whether Ronaldo will actually depart the club.

For example, Napoli have been one club linked with a move for the Portuguese star, but FootballTransfers exclusively reported the Italian giants don't believe they have a chance in signing Ronaldo this summer.

If Ronaldo does manage to find a home, which will likely be to a Champions League club given his desire to play in the competition, then Man Utd will have a huge hole to fill.

FootballTransfers lists five players who could replace Ronaldo at Man Utd this summer.

Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich

Robert Lewandowski is expected to complete a move to Barcelona this summer, a transfer that the player wants to happen, but the Blaugrana appear no closer to agreeing a deal with Bayern Munich.

The two clubs' valuations are a way apart right now, and Barcelona may not even have the budget to seriously pursue a deal for the 33-year-old.

© ProShots - Robert Lewandowski wants to leave Bayern Munich

Frenkie de Jong has been told he either needs to reduce his wages or he'll be sold, so that suggests funds aren't exactly unlimited at Camp Nou.

As a result, Man Utd could make a late swoop and attempt a deal. With Ronaldo being linked to Bayern, they may even be able to negotiate some kind of swap deal.

It would depend on Lewandowski being happy to play Europa League football next year, something Ronaldo isn't.

Neymar - PSG

Just like Lewandowski, Neymar is another superstar name on the market this window. The Brazilian has been informed that Paris Saint-Germain are open to a sale as they begin the Luis Campos era.

The new sporting advisor has already made changes to the transfer policy and Neymar could be on his way out. The 30-year-old has been offered to Chelsea, but Man Utd could match the Blues in regards to wages and could enter the fray.

Europa League football could again be a sticking point, but Neymar could be enticed if Man Utd present an exciting offer. Not an exact Ronaldo replacement, Neymar could allow Marcus Rashford back into the fray through the middle, or he could feature in the role Dusan Tadic played so well under Erik ten Hag at Ajax.

Antony - Ajax

A logical step would be to delve into Ten Hag's tried and tested formula at Ajax and sign Antony. Similar to his countryman Neymar, Antony isn't a traditional centre-forward and after featuring solely off the right last season, it would be a surprise to see him played through the middle.

© ProShots - Antony worked with Ten Hag at Ajax

However, Ten Hag could engineer a free-flowing, dynamic system that involves the likes of Antony, Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho, without the presence of a true number nine.

Victor Osimhen - Napoli

If Man Utd did want to see an out-and-out replacement for Ronaldo then turning to Victor Osimhen would be a perfect idea.

Napoli believe they don't have a chance of acquiring Ronaldo this summer, but if Man Utd presented them with the opportunity to sign him and lose Osimhen, they could be tempted.

The Nigerian forward would cost an arm and a leg on his own, but Man Utd would be getting a world class forward if they signed him.

They have previously been linked, but this is unlikely to happen.

Paulo Dybala - Free agent

The fifth option for Man Utd would be to dip into the free agent market and pick up Paulo Dybala.

© ProShots - Paulo Dybala is now a free agent

Potentially the best option on this list, Man Utd have reportedly been in direct contact with Dybala's agent Jorge Antun over a potential move for the 28-year-old.

The forward, who's Juventus contract expired on 30 June, would be able to operate in a fluid front three, while starting in a false nine starting point.

If Dybala were to be signed, he would presumably play in the role Tadic made his own during the 2018/19 season.