Chelsea's transfer stance on Ronaldo has changed
FT Desk
- 7 Oct 2022 16:23 BST
- 3 min read
Todd Boehly was keen on signing Cristiano Ronaldo for Chelsea this summer, but Thomas Tuchel was against the idea…
Ronaldo got 90 minutes as Manchester United beat Omonio Nicosia 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday, but he has been a bit-part player in the Premier League this season, making just one start under Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo wanted to avoid playing in Europe's second tier continental competition this season, not avoid playing altogether, and Chelsea would have been willing to give him Champions League football. They still could from January, per UEFA rules.
Jorge Mendes trying to get Ronaldo out of Manchester 🚜 pic.twitter.com/Q2FS9d46BA
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) July 31, 2022
Boehly, having replaced Roman Abramovich in ownership of the Blues, was understandably interested in signing one of the most marketable athletes in all of sport, but Tuchel preferred Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - before being sacked days after the striker arrived.
"Tuchel was not sold on the idea of signing Ronaldo as the German wanted a more mobile striker after seeing Romelu Lukaku fail to perform in his preferred system," report the Express.
"Wide-ranging reports suggest that co-owner Todd Boehly, who was acting sporting director, clashed with Tuchel over Ronaldo during the summer transfer window."
Potter suggestable
With Tuchel now gone, Graham Potter is understood to be open to the idea of signing Ronaldo, even if, at 37, it appears that the best of the Portuguese forward's career is behind him.
Ronaldo still managed to top score for United in the Premier League last season with 18 goals, and Chelsea could use his consistency in attack.
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The Blues have had eight different scorers in the Premier League this season. Raheem Sterling - a winger - has the most with three.
No concrete moves for Ronaldo arrived for Ronaldo this summer, but for a big-money bid from Saudi Arabia. But with Ten Hag insisting Ronaldo had a future in his squad and Ronaldo wanting to add to his record 141 Champions League goals, it was dismissed out of hand.
