PREMIER LEAGUE
What are Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible destinations after leaving Manchester United?
The Portuguese star is meant to be focusing on winning the World Cup with his country but after that interview, things were headed south.
On Tuesday 22 November, as Portugal prepared for their opening game in the 2022 World Cup, news broke that Cristiano Ronaldo was no longer a Manchester United player. On the day that his nemesis Lionel Messi faced a shock loss with his Argentine side, somehow the headlines would quickly switch back.
United end Ronaldo contract
‘Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect,’ read the statement.
‘The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.
‘Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.’
Back in July, Ronaldo stated his displeasure being a part of a team that would not play in the Champions League, the first time that’s happened to the Portuguese star since the 2002-03 season. And things never improved for him as new boss Erik ten Hag made it clear he wasn’t likely to get much action either.
What was the reason behind ending the Ronaldo-United relationship?
Will we ever know all the details? Probably not. But the information and fierce criticism he fired out during his interview with Peers Morgan was likely the killer blow.
Had he been firing on all cylinders and tearing apart Premier League defences each week, United may have been less willing to agree to this. But he hasn’t been.
Where next for Ronaldo?
Previous rumours about a new challenge have swirled around Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Roma, Napoli and Bayern Munich while a hero’s return to his hometown club of Sporting Lisbon to be loved, get minutes and have fun scoring goals is still maybe a few years away. My money, however, is on the MLS, with some very interested franchises licking their lips at the thought.
Either that or he’ll be off to the Middle East (or PSG to line up with Messi) for a serious financial injection.