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"Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United" was the headline that came out on July 2 by Times Sport journalist Duncan Castles. Over the next hour, the news began to filter in through various other outlets, and Manchester United fans went into despair once again.
The forward apparently wants to leave the Red Devils because the club have failed to match his ambitions this summer. Manchester United finished sixth in the Premier League last season, failing to qualify for the Champions League. They have also made just one signing so far this summer.
The Portugal international was due to report to training on July 4 but didn't turn up at Carrington due to personal reasons. Amidst the news, there have been several links and rumors as to which club could come in for the player.
Mentioned below are five possible destinations that could serve up to be his swan song at the highest level in football.
#1 Chelsea
The Athletic journalist David Ornstein recently reported that Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly is interested in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo to Stamford Bridge.
The forward wants to challenge for trophies and play in the Premier League and Chelsea need a goalscorer. The Portuguese would also be a great shirt seller signing for the club's new owners.
However, The Telegraph journalist Matt Law has clarified that while Boehly is keen on the player, he will not sign anyone without manager Thomas Tuchel's approval.
Tuchel wants hard-working players rather than star signings after the Romelu Lukaku fiasco. The Belgian was signed for a club-record fee of £97.5 million last summer. However, he scored just 15 goals in 43 matches in all competitions.
Ronaldo was Manchester United's top scorer last season with 24 goals in 38 matches. He would certainly bring in goals for the Blues but is perhaps a very short-term solution to a long-term issue. Chelsea would maybe do well to steer clear of the stardom and look elsewhere.
#2 Paris Saint Germain
Paris Saint Germain are rumored to want to sell Neymar Jr. this summer as per GOAL. Signing Ronaldo as a replacement for the Brazilian would be in line with how PSG have operated in recent years.
Lionel Messi and him linking up on the pitch would also be a dream scenario for football fans around the world.
However, PSG are looking to move away from flashy signings and become a serious football club as they look to win the Champions League. They are looking to adopt a new way of running the club with new manager Christophe Galtier at the helm.
David Ornstein has reported that PSG are not currently interested in the former Real Madrid man. Football is a fluid market, and things can change, but as of now, it is highly unlikely that PSG will relapse into the bling-bling culture of signings.
#3 AS Roma
AS Roma and Jose Mourinho specifically are said to be keen on signing Ronaldo for the upcoming season. AS reported that Roma were closing in on the player.
A return to Italy would suit him, given that he could reach a tally of 100 goals in Serie A. He is currently on 98 goals he scored in his three years at Juventus. He could become the first player to score a century in three leagues.
Mourinho will also look to challenge for the Scudetto in the upcoming season and the Portuguese forward could be a big boost.
There are some obvious stumbling blocks for the team from the Italian capital. He earns close to £500,000 a week, which is a steep fee for Roma.
Roma are also not in the Champions League, and he seems to want to play in Europe's premier competition. Mourinho and Ronaldo have a strong relationship, and anything can happen in football, but this is still unlikely.
#4 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich would be an appealing destination for Ronaldo, given that he hasn't played in the Bundesliga during his career. Bayern are a force in the Champions League, and winning the Bundesliga is almost a guarantee for the Bavarian club.
Robert Lewandowski wants to move to Barcelona this summer (via Fabrizio Romano).
If the Polish striker does leave, then Ronaldo would be the perfect stop-gap for the club in a market that is starved of quality strikers. Bayern could then reassess their options next summer, and Ronaldo would thrive playing against Bundesliga defenses. There are no strong links yet, but it is a likelier option than some of the teams mentioned above.
#5 Sporting CP
This would be the perfect way for Cristiano Ronaldo to bow out of European football as Sporting CP is his boyhood club.
The Sun recently interviewed Sporting CP's director of football, Hugo Viana, and he did not rule out a move for the forward this summer.
Sporting CP are in the Champions League and are a competitive team in Portugal. Ronaldo would perhaps have to take a drastic pay cut to make the deal work.
It is also up to him whether he feels he is ready to ride into the twilight or if he feels he can still play for the biggest teams in Europe. This, though, would be an ideal end to an illustrious career.
