Ronaldo would rather stay at Man Utd than go to Sporting
Ben Jacobs
- Updated: 23 Aug 2022 14:01 BST
- 6 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo would rather stay at Manchester United than re-join Sporting CP this summer, despite his wish for Champions League football, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs writes for FootballTransfers.
Ronaldo actually doesn't want to return to Sporting CP. Even though it's been largely reported that because Sporting have Champions League football he might make that move, I'm not so sure. People close to Ronaldo are still telling us at CBS that Ronaldo wants to stay in Europe's big five leagues in a World Cup year, and doesn't yet want to go back to Sporting CP. He would, in fact, rather just stay at Man Utd than make that move.
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From Sporting's perspective, it is also important to state that the manager there is a former teammate of Ronaldo's - Ruben Amorin. They're exactly the same age and he plays a very collective approach. He's also against the move because he doesn't want to change the tactics to play through Ronaldo, and he doesn't want the circus, both good and bad, that Ronaldo’s return to Sporting might bring.
He's the kind of character that's not afraid to make those big calls. If you look at what he did with Islam Slimani, it was sort of similar type of approach. Even though Slimani and Ronaldo are not often mentioned in the same sentence, Slimani came and he is obviously in his 30s and on big wages.
My understanding was that the Sporting boss was not particularly enamoured by having him in, and it soon became apparent that Slimani and the manager were not on the same page, and he wasn't afraid to demote Slimani to the reserves.
And it's now very difficult for Sporting to try and ship Slimani even on a free transfer. So that tells you the manager will stand his ground, and Ronaldo doesn't really want to return to Sporting just for the sake of Champions League football. I think he realises that it would be very difficult for Sporting to get into the business end of the Champions League as well. That makes that move very unlikely, if not near impossible. So, Ronaldo is highly likely, at the time of writing, to stay at Man Utd.
But, it wouldn't surprise me if somebody just tries their luck just for the sake of it, late in the window with a free transfer move or a loan move. But to reiterate right now, despite the fact that Mendes has pushed Borussia Dortmund and some other clubs as well, Ronaldo still does not have a concrete offer so he’ll be ‘forced’ to stay at Man Utd.
After the window ends, I don't think Ronaldo will sulk. I think that he realises he has to be at his peak for a mid-season World Cup and he obviously has a great affinity and love for Man Utd. He doesn't like the instability, he doesn't like what's going on, but he absolutely loves the football club.
Which means that if the window shuts and he is still at Man Utd, I fully expect him to give his all and do his best to push Man Utd up towards Champions League football. Right now they might have a figure that is overshadowing the transfer window in the beginning of the Ten Hag era, but we may well see a very different Ronaldo if he's still at Manchester United as soon as the window slams shut.
Casemiro signing
Casemiro joining is the upside and Ronaldo, if we're to take intimations that he's disappointed with the transfer window, can hardly maintain that stance with Casemiro arriving, and if Antony or Cody Gakpo come in as well.
With Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro’s arrival helps because he realises that he’s a quality player and if Manchester United add more, then Ronaldo can't say that a lack of movement in the window is the reason why he wants to leave Man Utd. That’s always been a bit of a cover because really Ronaldo's issue is the lack of quality at Man Utd. It’s retrospective in the sense that he wasn't happy last season because at times he was single-handedly carrying the team, and the culmination of that was it wasn't enough to get Champions League football. And that's what Ronaldo wants because of his age.
So, the fact that Casemiro is there helps in the long run, as does a signing like Antony, because Man Utd have put themselves in a position where they can challenge for Champions League football despite their poor start. But, Ronaldo still doesn't want to wait because after another year he'll be 38, and Man Utd are in the Champions League, he could potentially extend his stay and have one last shot at the Champions League football, but he wants a minimum of two shots.
So, Ronaldo’s mindset hasn't really changed. He is well aware that the highest probability currently is that he'll stay at Man Utd, but that doesn't end his desire to leave and play Champions League football imminently. And we wait to see whether anybody else is going to try their luck.
Where could Ronaldo go?
Those close to Ronaldo made it abundantly clear last week that he believed his last chance of Champions League football, and a move away, was Borussia Dortmund after a series of other clubs rejected him.
The Atletico move is fully off, Chelsea are trying for Aubameyang, a Real Madrid return was never a possibility and even Barcelona were offered Ronaldo, but they obviously signed Robert Lewandowski, and the two Milan clubs can't afford him. So if we're only looking at Champions League clubs, then Ronaldo is relatively short of options.
Has Cristiano Ronaldo played his last game for Man Utd?https://t.co/Z4uHN7nefa
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 22, 2022
My understanding with Dortmund is that the Dortmund CEO said it's a charming idea of Ronaldo joining us, but there's been no contact. And it is true that there's been no contact with Man Utd, but Mendes has absolutely contacted and pushed Dortmund to make an official offer. They haven't at this point and they have said publicly that they won't, but they have thought about it.
A move to Dortmund was deemed late in the window to be Ronaldo's last chance so if they are genuine in those comments that they are not going to move for Ronaldo, then Ronaldo won't be joining Dortmund. But he would absolutely take that move and it was seen as his last hope about a week or so ago. So that doesn't leave him with too many other options.
