Sporting fans have made it clear they want Cristiano Ronaldo back at the club, as the saga surrounding his Manchester United exit takes another twist.
The 37-year-old is desperate to leave Old Trafford this month, less than 12 months into the blockbuster two-year contract he signed last August. His return to the Red Devils was supposed to be the final piece in United’s quest to win the title for the first time post-Sir Alex Ferguson.
But despite his 18 top-flight goals, United endured their worst ever Premier League season, recording just 58 points and finishing down in sixth. That means Erik ten Hag’s first campaign at the club will see them competing in the Europa League, rather than the Champions League.
And that’s not acceptable to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who also holds the record for the most goals in the competition. It is understood that Ronaldo has made it clear to United bosses that he wants a move this summer, with the belief that his current teammates aren’t of the quality to compete for major honours.
United bosses have made it clear that their talisman is not for sale and Ten Hag has spoken of his excitement at integrating him into his team. However, after not joining the club’s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia, his position is clearly a perilous one.
On Tuesday, the Portuguese icon returned to Carrington - flanked by agent Jorge Mendes - in an attempt to find a resolution to the transfer stand-off. Mirror Football exclusively reported that despite the best efforts of the hierarchy and the presence of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo was unmoved in his determination to leave.
The main sticking point over any imminent departure has been the paucity of potential destinations. Despite his illustrious and record-breaking history in the game, few of Europe’s heavyweights are willing to part with the kind of salary that would be required to sign him.
Bayern Munich and Chelsea had both been tentatively linked, only for the two recent Champions League winners to rule themselves out of the running. Atletico Madrid were then touted as an option, despite president Enrique Cerezo deeming a move as “practically impossible.”
That didn’t stop a furious reaction from the passionate Colchoneros fanbase however, with an online petition launched in hours of the initial speculation. A supporters’ group then released a passionate statement in which Ronaldo was labelled as a player in “frank decline” and “the antithesis” of the club’s long-standing values.
And if there were any question marks left over their feelings to the former Real Madrid superstar, fans unfurled a banner during the 4-0 win over Numancia, which read ‘CR7 not welcome’ in large black letters.
Super agent Jorge Mendes is refusing to give up the ghost however and the Athletic report he is in talks with Sporting over a potential move. Ronaldo of course started his career at the Portuguese giants, before being spotted by Sir Alex and brought to Old Trafford in 2003.
Sporting under Ruben Amorim are in this season’s Champions League by virtue of their second-placed finish in the Portuguese league and would therefore satisfy Ronaldo’s biggest desire. How his former club would afford his salary remains to be seen, despite the obvious commercial benefits of signing the world’s most recognisable footballer.
But one thing the higher ups wouldn’t have to be concerned with is any sort of negative reaction from supporters. Unlike their Atleti counterparts, Sporting supporters have reacted with great excitement to the rumours, quickly getting ‘#RonaldoatSporting’ trending on Twitter.
Amorim may still take some convincing though, with reports claiming he has reservations about how he would fit into his youthful dressing room. The highly-rated manager also stated last week that his transfer “reality was different” to the speculation, with his full focus on keeping players like Matheus Nunes in the Portuguese capital.
