With multiple media reports from across the pond stating the four-time Ballon D’Or winner and European champion, Cristiano Ronaldo wanting out at Real Madrid due to tax evasion issues, the top player in soccer is about to hit the transfer market.
Ronaldo, who was frequently voted as Forbes’ highest paid athlete in the world in terms of total earnings at $93 million for the year of 2017, will likely command a record fee in both transfer and weekly wages that will be a minimum of his then-record €94 million transfer from United to Los Blancos.
Could he return to Old Trafford for an encore? Will he set his eyes on a new challenge in MLS or will he take his talents to Germany? Below are the top five potential landing places for the 32-year-old Portuguese superstar striker.
Major League Soccer (MLS): First David Beckham, then Davis Villa, Kaka, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Theirry Henry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and now Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo? MLS has come a long way from his fledgling beginning in becoming one of the world’s hottest up-and-coming football leagues.
With such world-class players already over in America and former United teammate in Beckham set to debut his Miami expansion club soon, a player like Ronaldo in South Beach would be instant box-office for both MLS and Ronaldo.
Manchester United: How would a Ronald-back-to-United return of one of the all-time great United heroes back to Old Trafford play out in Manchester?
Rather well actually.
If it’s not MLS that lures Ronaldo to the States, then the chants of “Glory, glory, Man United” and playing alongside old teammate in striker Wayne Rooney, former manager at Real Madrid—and current United boss—in Jose Mourinho.
United also has young and talented playmakers in Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba, the forementioned Ibrahimovic, Juan Mata and adding Ronaldo to a quality side managed by “The Special One” and with United’s resources, don’t be shocked if Ronaldo decides to channel his inner LeBron in going back “home”.
Chelsea: The wild card for Ronaldo, the defending English champions swooping in on the Portuguese uber-star would be a case of overkill.
Already loaded with the likes of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante, plus the chance to throw a monkey wrench into a potential Ronaldo return to Old Trafford and having a very rich Russian owner who isn’t afraid to spend in Roman Abramovich, and the Lions could very well be a dark horse.
Paris Saint-Germain: Like United and Chelsea, the reigning French champions have money to spend, and talent on the pitch to boot. Names like Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Thiago Motta and Julian Drexler along with the talent to challenge in the upcoming Champions League next year, PSG is a team to keep an eye on.
Bayern Munich: Last but not least are the reigning German champions, who are facing the likely retirement of Dutch captain Arjen Robben. If the reports of Robben likely to retired are true, there is a big hole at Munich that someone of Ronaldo’s caliber can easily fill.
Combine that with the existing talent in the form of Franck Ribery, Robert Lewanodowski, Jerome Boateng, Arturo Vidal and Thomas Muller as well as the prospect of conquering Bundesliga football the same manner that he ruled in England and Spain, don’t sleep on Bayern Munich.