Gone-aldo? Cristiano Ronaldo ‘tells Juventus teammates he wants to leave this summer’ – reports
Cristiano Ronaldo's time in Turin could be close to its end after the five-time Ballon d'Or winning superstar told his Juventus teammates that he wants out of the Italian side this summer, according to reports online.
The 36-year-old, who will make his 174th appearance for Portugal at this summer's European Championships, has shown little sign of slowing down in his vintage years, scoring 101 goals in just 133 appearances since joining Juventus from Real Madrid in 2018 – but his side failed in their bid to win a tenth successive Scudetto when Juve old boy Antonio Conte led rivals Inter Milan to their 19th Serie A title this month.
Ronaldo is contracted to Juventus until the summer of 2022, meaning that the forthcoming transfer window likely represents the club's last chance to command a sizeable transfer fee for their prized asset – and according to reports, Juventus could be set to cash in ahead of a proposed rebuild for next season.
According to a report by Italy's Il Messaggero, Ronaldo has told his Juve teammates that he is likely to leave the club in the coming months – with speculation suggesting his former clubs Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon are in the hunt for his signature.
Managerless Real Madrid are understood to have indicated that they have no interest in pursuing a bid, the report says.
Ronaldo's potential availability sets up an interesting summer of recruitment for Europe's list of elite clubs.
Numerous reports online indicate that the likes of Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Romelu Lukaku and Erling Haaland – four of European football's most dependable goalscorers – might also be available in the coming months, suggesting that a sea change could be in store among the forward lines of several of the continent's biggest clubs.
Elsewhere, one would imagine that Ronaldo fits the profile of player that Paris Saint-Germain would actively pursue as they continue to crave a Champions League trophy.
According to Calciomercato, the Ligue 1 runners-up and United have both made contact with Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, and currently appear to be sharing pole position to sign Ronaldo.
However, Ronaldo's salary demands could be a potential sticking point for United, who would almost certainly offer their former star a pay packet significantly less than the reported €31 million ($37.8 million) salary he enjoys in Turin – though this might be less of a concern for cash-rich PSG.
Reports on Thursday indicate that Manchester United are set to offer boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a new three-year deal and a transfer war-chest with which to bolster his squad ahead of a renewed assault on the Premier League and Champions League next year.
And Ronaldo very much fits the profile of the born winner and natural goalscorer who could help United bridge the gap to their rivals, new Premier League champions Manchester City.
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