By Mark Weasley
Manchester United have been handed a huge transfer boost in the pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 33-year-old is open to the prospect of leaving Real Madrid as he wants wage parity with the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar. United have long been earmarked as a possible destination for Ronaldo, as the 5-time Ballon D’Or winner has always stated his desire to return back to the Premier League.
Between 2003 and 2009, Ronaldo played for United, winning all the trophies available before sealing a then world record £80m move to Madrid. Since then, he has never looked back, winning a third consecutive Champions League trophy with last month’s victory over Liverpool in the Kiev showpiece.
Spanish news outlet, OK Diario (h/t Manchester Evening News) reports that Ronaldo’s release clause set at €1bn has been drastically cut to €120m (£106m), which would represent a steal in this current transfer market.
Despite his advancing years, Ronaldo is still at the top of his game, as he scored 44 times last season and has already registered four goals at the 2018 World Cup.
Ronaldo believes that the Real Madrid fans have not showed him the same adulation he enjoyed with the Old Trafford faithful, and was also angry with the club for not backing him enough in his Spanish tax fraud case. His career is winding down but will turn United into title favourites should he make the return to the Premier League.
United finished second in the Premier League, 19 points behind Manchester City and all pressure is on Jose Mourinho to win the league next season. In his first spell at United, Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 296 matches, arriving as a talented teenager, but leaving as a truly global superstar; but will he finish his career here?
He only cost Madrid £80 million, is now on the wrong side of 30 and Madrid crack a joke like that. If he really does want to come to United he will apply the same pressure on Madrid as he did United to leave and tell them to lower that fee to a sensible price. I wager he will not do that.
£100million for Ronaldo probably one months shirt sales and he can still play a bit. Wouldnt chase him but at that price in this market and the buzz it would bring to old trafford snap him up.
Think it is just nonsense though, dont think he or Bale are going anywhere just yet.
If CR7 is really serious with his antispated move to Man Utd Fc then he should force Real Madrid to lower their asking price to £50m. I think he might be using United as a bait to get a better pay rise and image rights from Madrid Fc.