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18.06.2021 » Another summer, another Ronaldo rumour to United
How many times have we heard this one before? According to media outlet ESPN, Cristiano Ronaldo could be returning to Old Trafford this summer, amid crisis talks with his current club Juventus. The Portuguese superstar has endured a mixed spell in Turin since moving there from Real Madrid in 2018. Ronaldo has an incredible goal-to-game record in Serie A, but the club's capitulation in the final months of the 2020/21 season could lead to a player overhaul under returning manager Max Allegri. With this in mind, ESPN claims that the player's representatives have reached out to a number of Europe’s biggest clubs, in an attempt to seal a move away from the Old Lady of Italian football. The Red Devils have already tied down veteran forward Edinson Cavani to a contract extension, meaning that, in theory at least, United may not have the financial wiggle room to satisfy Ronaldo's wage demands.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Brilliant skills at Manchester United:
How has Ronaldo played this season?
The five-time Champions League winner grabbed 29 goals in 33 Serie A appearances in the 2020/21 campaign, a tally that made him the leading goalscorer in the division. Juventus may have missed out on the Serie A title, but they did at least clinch the Italian Cup, as well as a top-four spot, - which secures Champions League football next season.
Ronaldo has predominantly been deployed in the centre-forward position this season, though he has also popped up on the left side of a front three when required. Click here to see the latest odds of Ronaldo's return to United, as well plenty of other football odds today.
This isn't the first time such rumours have surfaced
Rumours of a return to Manchester United have been around for years, as it was under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson that Ronaldo blossomed into a world-class footballer. Ronaldo joined United from Sporting Lisbon back in 2003, arriving with a big reputation and expectations to match. After a bedding-in period, he began to morph into one of the world's best footballers, helping United to win the treble in 2008, which included the all-important Champions League title. A year later, Real Madrid would pay a world-record fee to sign the winger, who would go on to add a further four Champions League titles to his name at Los Blancos.
However, once word of Ronaldo's desire to leave Real Madrid began to spread, the links to his former club went into overdrive. In the end, he opted for a new challenge in Italy, but with Juventus' Champions League dream fizzling out in recent years, perhaps now could be the right time for United to make their move. The only question is, do they actually need a player like Ronaldo at this moment in time?
Do United really need him?
There is a compelling case to be made that, in spite of the emotive nature of the homecoming, United really ought to steer clear. The forward was incredible during his six-year spell at United, and he already understands the culture around the clubs having been part of the Red Devils' past success under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Nevertheless, the primary concern for any potential suitors would be his age, as at 36, you aren't exactly getting a long-term investment – nor much return on your money. Ronaldo may be one of the fittest players in world football, but the ravages of age will eventually get the better of him. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is slowly trying to assemble a side that is ready to fight for top honours, choosing to invest wisely in younger talent (Cavani aside) which can edge them ever closer to that target. A move for Ronaldo would very much fly in the face of that, while it would also possibly reduce the amount of game-time that Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood receive.
Summary
Overall, it is probably wise to treat these latest developments with a pinch of salt. For the reasons previously outlined, it is tricky to see how Ronaldo fits into a young United side next season, while his current team Juventus certainly won’t want him to leave the club on the cheap after their initial investment.
It's set to be a long summer transfer window, one which could be heavily influenced by Euro 2020. If Ronaldo lights up the competition, as many are predicting him to do, United certainly won’t be the only club keeping tabs on the prolific striker.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Portugal is on June 19, against Germany. You can watch Germany vs Portugal, Brazil vs Peru, Argentina vs Uruguay, England vs Scotland, Sweden vs Slovakia, and Croatia vs Czech Republic, all matches provided from our soccer streaming live game pages.
Portugal next game:
Portugal vs Germany kick-off time (19-06-2021):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 00:00
Jakarta (Indonesia) | UTC/GMT+7: 23:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 21:30
Italy (Turin) | UTC/GMT+2: 18:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 18:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 17:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 13:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 12:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 09:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / espn.co.uk / givemesport.com
