In early July 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United for the first time since his €100 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009. He signed a four-year contract worth over $50 million a year, but now he’s unhappy with his current club. Reports say that Ronaldo wants to play in the UEFA Champions League again and is looking for a new challenge. But despite his success and talent, it seems the Portuguese superstar’s options are limited because some people at Atlético Madrid don’t want him on their team.
Ronaldo has become a legend at Real Madrid’s archrival, Atlético, and fans are displeased at the prospect of signing him. On Wednesday, fans showed their displeasure by unfurling banners at a preseason game against Numancia — one with the words “CR7 not welcome.” Bayern Munich was another option after it sold its star forward Robert Lewandowski, but that door now appears to be closed after Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn said the club had decided against pursuing the deal. “We came to the conclusion that despite all the appreciation for Cristiano, he would not have fit in our philosophy in the current situation,” Kahn told Germany’s Sport Bild magazine.
Manchester United standoff
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 24 goals in all competitions last season, despite the fact that Manchester United fell short of Champions League qualification and lacked any sense of identity. New manager Erik Ten Hag has been tasked with turning things around at the sleeping giant and has publicly said he is planning for life with Ronaldo. “I am looking forward to working with him. Ronaldo is not for sale,” the manager said earlier this month, despite the fact that Ronaldo missed the entire preseason tour citing family issues. There is no doubting Ronaldo’s ability to score goals, but it appears his age and enormous wage demands are factors in putting the biggest clubs off a potential move.
Also, many people wonder whether the Portuguese star can fit into different team philosophies, including Ten Hag’s demanding style of play. The Red Devils begin their season opener against Brighton on August 7 and something will have to give in his stand-off with the club. Fans will just have to hope the latest transfer saga won’t hurt his legacy at United.