Will Ronaldo quit Manchester United? Chelsea makes a call
Will Ronaldo quit Manchester United? Chelsea makes a call. Old Trafford provided an answer to one question, but a new one has since emerged. Erik ten Hag was appointed as the new Red Devils manager, and the former Ajax manager has already started addressing some of the issues that plagued United in 2021–2022 when they finished sixth and recorded their lowest points total in the Premier League era (58).
Since then, attention has been on how he would restructure the team and whether superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be a part of it considering all the discussion around his role during his comeback to the club last season. His contract with Manchester United has one season left.
Only a few weeks into the summer transfer window, the Portugal star has already been connected to a number of European powerhouses, with the most recent report stating that Chelsea’s owners had spoken to Jorge Mendes, his agent, about them.
Will he be a part of Ten Hag’s ambitions, or will he return to United for just one season before being cut short? It is certain that Ronaldo’s agency is actively seeking out other opportunities for the player rather than sitting around waiting for word from Manchester United. United is also announcing that the player is not for sale by press communications in the meanwhile.
The owner of Chelsea reportedly met with Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes to discuss the prospect of a transfer, according to The Athletic, in the first true dose of delicious transfer gossip that seems to have some legs.
There hasn’t been a denial, unlike in the case of another team, but it’s unclear whether Todd Boehly or Mendes initiated this communication.
A committee of goal scorers, including Timo Werner (11 goals), Kai Havertz (14 goals), Christian Pulisic (8 goals), and Mason Mount, chipped in across all competitions in 2021–22, but Chelsea still lacked a true goal striker (13 goals).
Chelsea might require a primary focal point in attack with Romelu Lukaku (15 goals, including 8 in the Premier League) apparently returning to Inter Milan on loan.
Would Ronaldo join Real Madrid?
The Mirror in England first reported that Real Madrid would like to bring Ronaldo back to the team if their attempt to buy Kylian Mbappe failed back in May before Los Merengues won the 2022 UEFA Champions League title (Mbappe re-signed at PSG).
Ronaldo’s return to Madrid would provide him with a second chance to win the UEFA Champions League, but he would likely have a smaller role given that Karim Benzema has taken Ronaldo’s place as the team’s undisputed leading scorer since Ronaldo left in 2018.
Ronaldo’s comeback would also signal a change in direction for Real Madrid, who have recently opted to sign younger players like midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni (22) and Eduardo Camavinga (19).
Sports Lisbon or Miami for Cristiano Ronaldo?
Apart from the talk involving famous people, there has been speculation that Cristiano Ronaldo may return to Sporting CP to conclude his club career in Portugal; nevertheless, this would need a significant pay cut for Ronaldo. Additionally, any remaining chances of repeating as Champions League champions would be destroyed.
He had the ability to see across the continent. In his BBC column in April, Garth Crooks, a former United player who spent a season on loan there, made the assumption that Ronaldo may be drawn to the possibility to connect with David Beckham, another legendary former United player.
It would be a coup to get one of the biggest names in international football as Beckham owns MLS team Inter Miami.
On Ronaldo’s potential, Crooks wrote: ‘He is still a young man who wants to have a meaning in life. It’s possible to accomplish that goal in the United States. Ronaldo and David Beckham would be a strong team in Miami.’
If so, will he depart Manchester United in 2022?
Regarding Ronaldo’s actual location in August when the European season resumes, there has been a mix of recent chatter from the Ronaldo and United camps.
Ronaldo looks to be a well-liked member of the team despite the occasional visual expression of dissatisfaction after the team suffers a defeat. Ronaldo adjusted well to life in England after leaving the field.
Ronaldo was rumored to be eager to stay at Old Trafford even without Champions League football prior to the announcement of Ten Hag’s hiring, according to reports from his camp.
But that was before Ten Hag was named manager, so it’s unclear if he’ll want to centre his assault around a 37-year-old attacker during a season that will be interrupted by the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which takes place in November and December.
The United team requires a makeover. Even while United’s team is not wholly devoid of talent, it appears aimless and hastily put together. Ronaldo is still deadly in the air and a great finisher, but his work beyond the box has not been consistently strong.
But there’s also the matter of Edison Cavani’s departure, Anthony Martial’s unimpressive loan stint at Sevilla, Marcus Rashford’s faltering form this past season, and the fact that Anthony Martial is no longer in demand. Would United really want to let Ronaldo go when there are so many other issues to resolve, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Mason Greenwood’s legal situation?
What statements concerning his future has Ronaldo made?
Ronaldo provided his strongest indication yet that he would continue at United through the 2022–23 season on June 3, however, he stopped short of giving an outright assurance.
The Portuguese player spoke with the club’s official media channel about his desire to add more titles to his collection and claimed that the Red Devils would return to ‘where they belong.’
‘It still serves as my driving force to keep up the good effort and maintain my love for the game, and of course, Manchester and my teammates support me every step of the way, so I have to be grateful to everyone who aids Cristiano,’ he said.
‘Scoring goals for this club is always enjoyable. Even more [great] when it’s a hat-trick. However, I feel that Manchester will end up where they belong, so the most important thing for me is to try to win the games and any championships or cups. It can take time, but I remain hopeful.’
What remarks has Erik ten Hag made on Cristiano Ronaldo?
Erik ten Hag announced that, following the conclusion of the Eredivisie season, he would start working for Manchester United on May 17. He observed the Red Devils’ insipid 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, the Red Devils’ penultimate game of the season, but interim manager Ralf Rangnick was still in command.
In Ronaldo’s immediate future, the Dutchman has been very clear about where he stands.
Prior to his arrival in Manchester, Ten Hag proclaimed, ‘Ronaldo is a giant because of what he’s previously demonstrated and I think he’s still very ambitious. Of course, I want to keep him. He can produce impressive statistics, and he has been crucial to Manchester United this year.’
Manchester United’s contract with Ronaldo
Ronaldo’s re-joining of United was announced by Juventus on August 31, 2021. The Premier League team settled on an initial payment of €15m (£12.8m/$15.8m), payable over five years, with a further €8m (£6.8m/$8.4m) to be paid if specific sporting goals were attained. Ronaldo agreed to a two-year contract that would keep him in place until the end of the 2022–2023 season, with an additional year’s worth of options.
He had been strongly linked with a move to Manchester City at one point, but United moved in to acquire his signature when it became evident that Juventus wanted to sell to cut their payroll costs. There were different accounts regarding whether City dropped their interest (or had ever sought to sign him at all) or if United only prevailed because of Alex Ferguson’s personal influence. In any case, it was soon obvious that Ronaldo would represent Manchester in red rather than blue.
Manchester United’s salary for Ronaldo
When Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in September, 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid, it was claimed that he was receiving almost £480,000 ($592,000) per week in pay, making him the team’s highest earner.
Later, it was discovered that he was actually making more like £385,000 ($475,000) every week. Although he receives several incentives, sponsorship deals, and other forms of income in addition to his pay, it was less than what he was receiving at Juventus. Forbes estimates that Ronaldo’s net worth was $120 million (£97 million) in 2021.
For Manchester United, how many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?
On the surface, scoring 24 goals for a middling United team last season seemed like a respectable total. Only Son Heung-min and Mohamed Salah (both 23) scored more goals than the eighteen that came from the Premier League.
These totals were increased by hat tricks against Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City in the last stages of the season, demonstrating the forward’s continued effectiveness at the end of a demanding season at the age of 37.
He scored five goals in his following 12 appearances for United after scoring four goals in each of his first three games for the club in all competitions. This is a poor showing for one of the best goal scorers in the history of the sport.
Without his six goals in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, United would not have advanced to the knockout stages. However, he was unable to add to his amazing personal record against Atletico Madrid, who were defeated 2-1 on the road in the Round of 16 series by Diego Simeone’s team.
It has been questioned whether Ronaldo can lead the line at his age. Although it’s true that United has had issues with that aspect of their game regardless of who plays as the center-forward, Ronaldo has been blamed for their inability to press consistently from the front.