Legendary Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has made plenty of headlines the past few months after his now infamous interview with Piers Morgan which spelt the end of his second spell at Manchester United in November.
And he will surely make others soon, when he signs for a new club. But where will that be?
In the controversial interview prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo laid out many grievances he had with his time at the Manchester club, in particular with the current manager Erik Ten Hag, who the 37-year-old routinely butted heads with since returning to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021. He said he had no respect for the Dutchman and went further to accuse several board members of not caring to the point where the club is in a state unrecognizable to the one during his previous run with the Red Devils under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former Real Madrid and Juventus star was evidently unhappy with how he was treated upon his return through much of this season as well as last and it seemed inevitable that after this tirade the two would eventually part company.
While his World Cup dreams look to be over after his country’s exit in Qatar, it is unlikely that the Portuguese forward will be looking to retire soon having already laid out a plan to stop playing only at 40.
Speculation has been mounting about Ronaldo’s next destination ever since the tell-all interview and with the rumour mill turning here’s our look at some of the frontrunners to secure his highly sought-after signature.
Al Nassr - 1/2
Amongst the many details of the controversial interview, we learned one of intrigue regarding the manner in which Ronaldo re-joined the club that gave him iconic status in World football.
After leaving Juventus the prevailing theory was that the forward would and came quite close to signing for bitter rivals Manchester City in a bid to claim as much silverware as possible before hanging up his boots for good. It was revealed that his former boss Sir Alex persuaded him against that decision and encouraged him to instead resign from the club where he won eight major trophies between 2003 and 2009.
But beyond the Premier League, there was another interested party that could offer him an extremely excessive contract to lure him away from the prospect of earning more major trophies on the European continent. It came to light that he had previously rejected a massive offer from a Saudi Arabian side, among others, during the off-season to remain at United.
This time Al Nassr have stepped in to have a go at signing the five-time Ballon D’or winner and are currently positioned at 1/2 to sign him according to these sites with the best bookie offers. Given the negative press surrounding the star man and the small list of clubs that could afford the Portuguese striker’s wages, the Saudis will feel quietly confident that their staggering offer of a £173 million a year contract will be enough to secure his services this time round.
Chelsea - 3/1
The Portuguese forward wanted Man United to let him leave in June and despite a plethora of clubs interested, a deal never made it over the line. Amongst the clubs interested back then were perhaps the only Premier League outfit besides City that could afford the Portuguese sensation, Chelsea.
Despite a tumultuous 18-month spell at United, the forward still proved his world-class ability, scoring 24 goals in all competitions in his first season back in the English top flight. One of the many points of contention for Ronaldo was the fact he started just 14 Premier League games this campaign amidst the disarray behind the scenes; this might not be an issue at the London club.
Since arriving at Stamford Bridge Todd Boehly has not strayed away from delving deep into his pockets for some marquee signings. Raheem Sterling, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, and Kalidou Koulibaly are just some of the names to come through the door this summer.
However, there’s no doubt that the Blues could do with another option up front to give Graham Potter more options should form dip or injury strike. It would be an appealing choice from Ronaldo’s perspective as well, offering plenty of opportunity to claim not only domestic silverware but also add to his tally of Champions League honours.
Newcastle United - 6/1
Plenty of clubs have been thrown in the hat amongst speculation Ronaldo is looking for a big payday after leaving behind his £500,00 weekly wages at Old Trafford and with that Newcastle emerged early on as a potential destination.
It emerged that the Portuguese forward was feeling torn between the idea of a lucrative move to the Middle East and remaining in the Premier League and with Newcastle’s newly found riches, they might prove to be the compromise Ronaldo was looking for. The Magpies currently sit third in the Premier League under Eddie Howe and he will be looking to push on by bolstering their ranks this January. However, he has gone on record saying there is no interest in signing the Portuguese icon earlier this year.
While Newcastle are being bankrolled with untold fortunes from their Saudi owners, spending has been kept fairly modest during Howe’s reign thus far, and it appears unlikely they would want to break their budget by bringing Ronaldo onto their books.
There is also the small matter of Ronaldo’s ego which threatens to disrupt the harmonious progress Howe is making on Tyneside. Even so, with a bank account as big as theirs, they will never be too far away from this discussion.
Inter Miami - 10/1
Several top players have found themselves finishing off their careers in the United States in years gone by and it would not be the biggest shock if we saw a similar outcome for one of the greatest football players of all time. Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Gareth Bale, Gonzalo Higuain are just a few high-profile names who have graced the MLS in the last few years.
Inter Miami co-owner and former United player David Beckham has already openly expressed in an interview in 2020 his interest in signing Lionel Messi and Ronaldo at some stage, underscoring his club’s global ambition. Beckham has spoken to the Portuguese superstar’s representatives over a move to his MLS outfit back in November and it was reported that there was a positive response.
Miami remains a feasible option on the table with the recently retired Higuain leaving a gap in need of filling up front in Phil Neville’s side. Any deal would likely make Ronaldo MLS’ best-paid player and the logistics of getting that over the line still offer plenty of roadblocks, as does the absence of European football as well as the awkward dynamic of Phil’s brother Gary Neville having given scathing criticism of the Portuguese sensation as of late. It’s not the most likely option, but it’s not far-fetched either.
