Chelsea focused on signing Real Madrid and Barcelona linked star instead of Cristiano Ronaldo: Reports

Chelsea were rumored to be considering offering Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo an escape route from Old Trafford in January but it now looks like that won't be happening. Instead, the Blues could now rival the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona for the chance to sign Brazilian prodigy Endrick.

It is worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo has apparently reached the end of the road at Manchester United. Chelsea's new owner Todd Boehly appears to be a huge fan of the Portuguese icon and is said to be open to the idea of luring him from Old Trafford in the winter transfer window.

However, according to Jacob Steinberg, there's currently no indication that the Londoners will make a move for the 37-year-old in January. The club has reportedly realized that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner won't fit into Graham Potter's style of play at Stamford Bridge.

The same source also claimed that Chelsea's plan right now is to allow Potter to build his own team and as a result, will lean towards signing young players instead of Cristiano Ronaldo. That could see them step up their effort to sign Brazilian prodigy Endrick from Palmeiras next year.

The 16-year-old is currently one of the most impressive talents in South American football at the moment, catching the eye of many with his brilliant performances. So far this season, the attacker has recorded nine goals and one assist to his name in 14 appearances for Palmeiras across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will face serious competition from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who are also keeping tabs on the fast-rising forward. It remains to be seen which club will be the next destination for the 16-year-old.

What could Cristiano Ronaldo give to Chelsea?

Signing Cristiano Ronaldo would definitely give Chelsea a lot of commercial benefits. Being the most famous footballer on the planet, his signing would generate a lot of shirt sales, attract endorsement deals and

However, at 37 years old, there isn't much the club can expect to have from the Portuguese on the pitch. That has been evident this season with the Manchester United superstar enduring a difficult spell in front of goal and Erik Ten Hag counting on younger players instead.

So far this season, Cristiano Ronaldo has bagged just three goals and two assists in 16 games across all competitions. It remains to be seen what the future has in store for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.