SOCCER

Which club will sign Cristiano Ronaldo? Bayern, Chelsea, Barcelona...

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United this summer, and several clubs have registered an interest in signing the forward.

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On 23 June, AS revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo did not want to stay at Manchester United. The forward has informed the club of his wish and so far the response he has received from Old Trafford bosses has been negative. United do not want to part with the 37-year-old, but there are still two months left in the summer transfer window and all the indications seem to be that Cristiano will not be at the Premier League club next season. At the moment, there are five teams that have already made contact with Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese captain’s agent, to convey their interest...

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich were the first club to register an interest in Cristiano, the Bundesliga club conveying its desire to sign the player if striker Robert Lewandowski finally ends up moving to Barcelona. On 23 June, AS reported this. Despite the fact that Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, denied any approach to Cristiano, the Germans are in contact with the footballer’s camp. Cristiano fits the bill at Bayern for a potential Lewandowski replacement: they’re looking for an elite operator who would hit the ground running, and age doesn’t matter to the Bavarians.

Chelsea

A few days after Todd Boehly became owner of Chelsea, he travelled to Portugal to meet Mendes. With the approval of Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel, Boehly informed Cristiano’s agent of his desire to sign the player. Following Romelu Lukaku’s departure for Inter Milan, the Londoners are looking for a new focal point for their attack and want that to be the United star. At that same meeting, Sevilla defender Jules Koundé was also discussed.

Barcelona

Last Monday, Mendes and Barcelona president Joan Laporta had dinner in the Catalan capital, and Cristiano was among the names they discussed. It remains to be seen whether he was the main course, the starter or the dessert, but a potential deal was sounded out. Barcelona’s priority is to sign Lewandowski. Cristiano is a long-held target for Laporta, who already tried to sign him last summer, only for the club’s financial situation to prevent him from doing so.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has discussed a deal for Cristiano Ronaldo with the player's agent, Jorge Mendes.Kike Rincón Europa Press

Napoli

The penultimate club Cristiano has been linked to is Napoli. The Italians have conveyed to the striker their desire to make him the club’s new Maradona. With the signing of Cristiano, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wants to revive the glories of the 1980s, when the Argentina great arrived in Naples. De Laurentiis is eyeing a transfer-market splash.

Roma

Roma were one of the first clubs to take an interest in Cristiano. Giallorossi boss José Mourinho has been the chief champion of such a deal. Despite the fact that the coach and the striker had their ups and downs during their time together at Real Madrid, Mourinho is aware that his compatriot would represent a top-class addition to his attacking options as Roma bid to win the Italian league and the Europa League in 2022/23. The club’s lack of Champions League football next term is a stumbling block, however.

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