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CHELSEA are eyeing up a potential move for Cristiano Ronaldo, after the Manchester United forward reportedly told the club he’s ready to leave.
United fans were left devastated by the news at the weekend that Ronaldo had told the club that he wants to leave this summer, after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League for next season.
Whilst the club have no interest in selling their top scorer from last season right now, they could come under increasing pressure if another team were to make a bid.
Now it has emerged that United’s Premier League rivals Chelsea are considering making a move for the 37-year-old, depending on how Thomas Tuchel feels about the signing.
There were reports last month that the Blues’ new owner Todd Boehly had held talks with the former Real Madrid star’s agent, Jorge Mendes, with the player’s future believed to be one of the topics.
Now the Athletic claim that conversations have continued since, with the American ‘intrigued’ by the prospect of signing such an iconic figure.
Blues’ manager Tuchel is said to be an admirer of Ronaldo and Boehly, who is currently acting as the club’s director of football following recent staff departures, will only move for the player if the manager gives him the green light.
The German will have to work out if the United star fits in with his tactical plans, and has the personality to fit in with the rest of his squad.
Chelsea are certainly down a number nine after Romelu Lukaku left Stamford Bridge to return to Inter Milan, on loan, just a year after he became their most expensive ever signing.
The all time top goalscorer in men’s football could have actually been sold by the club earlier this year, despite only joining them last summer.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick was reportedly ready to let the striker go back in January, but football director John Murtough and chief executive officer Richard Arnold clearly didn’t back the idea.
Rangnick had dropped Ronaldo at the start of his tenure, and there were questions if the five time Ballon d’Or winner could play in the interim bosses’ ‘gegenpress’ style.
However, those tactics were soon dropped and Ronaldo came back into the first team, eventually returning to good form and led the team’s scoring charts.
Ronaldo only rejoined United at the end of the transfer window last August, 12 years after he’d left the club to move to Real Madrid, for a then world record fee.
He signed on for two years, after Manchester City had tried to bring him back to the north west, with the possibility of a third year.
It’s quite the scathing indictment of the campaign that the club had that he’s ready to leave after just one season of his new deal.
The players have returned to start training under Erik ten Hag but Ronaldo was not present on Monday morning, due to ‘family reasons,‘ he may never get the chance to play for the new manager.
-Sport Bible
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Tags: Chelsea Cristiano Ronaldo Jorge Mendes Todd Boehly
