PSG ahead of Madrid: Ranking the contenders to sign Ronaldo
FT Desk
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
- 4 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo’s days at Manchester United already look to be numbered.
Ronaldo returned to Man Utd last summer after 12 years away in a much-publicised transfer from Juventus.
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The Portuguese superstar was aiming to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford and challenge for major trophies.
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However, after a great individual start to the season – with 14 goals by the end of 2021 – the fortunes of Ronaldo and Man Utd have plummeted.
Cristiano has failed to score in 2022 and Man Utd are struggling to qualify for the Champions League.
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This has led to numerous reports that Ronaldo will find himself a new club next season, something that will certainly happen it seems if United don't make it into the top four.
So which clubs could buy him?
5. MLS
A move to Major League Soccer is a potential destination for Ronaldo but is unlikely at this stage of his career.
Cristiano wishes to continue playing in the Champions League to ensure his goalscoring records are unbeatable for years to come. He also still wants to be in Europe when the World Cup takes place in November, assuming Portugal qualify.
A transfer to the United States could happen in the future, although from a personal point of view this is something he may not be keen on just yet.
4. Sporting Lisbon
Ronaldo’s mother said last year that she will try to talk her son into returning to Sporting CP, the club at which he made his senior breakthrough before moving to Manchester United.
While it is not inconceivable that Ronaldo will one day wish to return to Portugal, having said that he can keep playing at the top level past his 40th birthday, this summer may still be a little too early for this move to take place.
Nevertheless, if Ronaldo is short on options and Sporting are in the Champions League with a reasonably competitive team, then it can’t be ruled out.
3. Man City
Man City are one of the few clubs in the world that can afford Ronaldo’s current €30 million-a-year salary.
City were very close to signing Ronaldo last summer, only to see their deal hijacked at the last minute by Man Utd.
Whether or not they would return for Cristiano after that snub remains to be seen, but City still require a natural striker having failed to sign one this year.
Tactically, Ronaldo may not fit Pep Guardiola’s pressing system but he remains one of the best at putting the ball in the back of the net.
2. Real Madrid
Ronaldo may be Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, but there appears to be little value in him returning to the Bernabeu.
Karim Benzema is one of the best strikers in the world, while Vinicius Junior is exploding as a top-class player as well.
Madrid look likely to sign Kylian Mbappe on a Bosman transfer this summer and they are set to bid for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
There appears little space for a 37-year-old Ronaldo, but that could change if something goes wrong with Mbappe and/or Haaland.
Also the presence of Carlo Ancelotti – who coached Ronaldo before – could also facilitate a move.
1. PSG
PSG is the most likely big-club destination if he quits Man Utd at the end of 2021-22, for a number of reasons.
First of all, the Ligue 1 giants will need to find a high-profile replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who will almost certainly leave the club on a Bosman transfer.
Secondly, Qatar is hosting the 2022 World Cup in November of next year and there is no better promotion or legitimisation for that tournament than PSG having both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi working as virtual ambassadors.
Thirdly, from a commercial point of view, Ronaldo and Messi being on the same team would break all records. It would cause tactical chaos, but PSG have shown this season they don’t care about that when making transfers.
