Cristiano Ronaldo is now a free agent after he agreed to terminated his contract with Manchester United. After his interview with Piers Morgan last month where he took aim at the Glazer ownership and also his new manager Erik ten Hag, there was no way back for the player.
The 37-year-old spoke about the problems he has experienced following his drama-ridden return to Old Trafford, claiming the club wishes to "push him" out of the door. With the Portugal captain now on international duty at the World Cup in Qatar, the last game Ronaldo played for United came against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
With rumors and speculation constantly surrounding the former Real Madrid forward, Ronaldo has been linked with a move to fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea and Newcastle United in the aftermath. Some have also claimed he could now make a long-awaited move to the MLS, with David Beckham's Inter Miami said to be potentially interested. But it appears Al Nassr in Saudi Arabai are leading the race.
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Now that Ronaldo is a free agent and officially no longer a United player, let's take a look at what has happened so far and what could happen regarding the next stages of his career.
Why did Ronaldo leave United?
Having made superb progress under Erik ten Hag this season, many supporters felt that Ronaldo's comments went against what the club is trying to achieve under the Dutchman's tutelage.
So when the club announced that they had mutually agreed with Ronaldo to terminate his contract with immediate effect, many fans welcomed the decision. They are now looking forward to the January window where they are hoping that United will sign another forward.
Who could potentially sign Ronaldo?
Many clubs from around the world are said to have declared their interest in the forward, with Chelsea and Newcastle cited as two possible destinations. Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes is said to have recently ' held talks ' with the Premier League highflyers Newcastle, with a January move now mentioned.
Talks have also been mentioned regarding a move to the MLS and most specifically Beckham-owned Inter Miami. The Sun recently reported that Beckham has already approached Ronaldo's representatives and has received positive feedback on a potential move to Florida. Beckham's Miami have also been linked with Lionel Messi.
Recently A-League boss Danny Townsend has also thrown his hat in the ring in regards to bringing Ronaldo to Australia. He told SportsFM: "We haven't been in Nani's ear, but we've certainly registered our interest in bringing [Ronaldo] to Australia. It's a long shot, but we certainly have a proposition here in Australia for him to consider. We're in dialogue, and we'll see where that goes."
Does he have any offers?
As of right now, Ronaldo has only one official offer that has been reported by the media, from Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. The two-and-a-half-year contract would see the Portuguese forward earn £175m over the course of the deal, making him the highest-paid player in the history of the game.
Ronaldo and his manager Fernando Santos have stated however that the forwards focus is completely on the World Cup and no decision will be made until after the tournament has ended.
What has Ronaldo said about his future?
Asked by Morgan if Ronaldo feels if he is being forced out of United, he said: “Honestly, I shouldn’t say that… don’t know… But listen I don’t care, I’m always… People should listen to the truth. Yes, I feel betrayed and I feel that some people don’t want me here, not only this year but last year, too.”
Ronaldo was asked specifically about the possibility of a move to the MLS in 2016.
He said: "I know that many players move there," he said. "I think it's becoming better and better. It's growing. I think it's good. It's good for me and young players that maybe one day we want to move there. So it's good that football—'soccer'—grows there."
"I mean, what's happening there is great, it's fantastic—maybe in the future will be a good chance for me to play there,'' he added. ''You never know, but it's something interesting. I consider it, of course, because as I've said, soccer there has become better and better, so why not? I think that this is maybe going to be possible."
In a major update on Tuesday, when asked about the Marca report that stated he had accepted Al Nassr's offer to join the club, he told reporters: “No, that’s not true – not true."
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