Roy Keane has already detailed how much of an impact Cristiano Ronaldo would have at Chelsea should they go ahead and sign the disgruntled superstar.
Manchester United are battling to keep hold of the Portugal international after he told them that he wanted to leave this summer. Erik ten Hag knows that losing the forward, who scored 24 goals for the club last season, would be a detrimental blow.
But the five-time Ballon d'Or winner does not want to ply his trade in the Europa League after assessing that his career has four years at the top. He does not want to waste those years not competing for the top prizes in football while United missed out on Champions League football last season and are not assured of a spot in the top four next year.
It has led to Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes going into overdrive, jetting across Europe to find a new club for his super-client. One of them includes Chelsea, where a meeting with new owner Todd Boehly has already taken place and transfers were discussed, with reports suggesting those conversations have continued, leading to a possible move to Stamford Bridge.
Funnily enough, the topic of a move to Chelsea was sarcastically touched on by Keane when United and Chelsea drew in the Premier League earlier in the year. Ronaldo had equalised just a minute after Marcos Alonso had put the Blues ahead at Old Trafford back in April, with Keane praising the Portuguese icon's impact on the game, saying he would score 50 goals in Thomas Tuchel's side.
Keane said of the 37-year-old: “He’s (Ronaldo) outstanding. It’s the hardest part of the game, putting the ball in the back of the net. That was his only chance tonight. You see the chances Chelsea were creating. Imagine if he was in the Chelsea team, he’d probably get 50 goals. He’s in a poor United side who aren’t creating many chances for him and he’s still producing."
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As it happens, Ronaldo could soon be donning a blue kit - though there are plenty of hoops to jump through before a likely transfer is even agreed. First, it would require United to even consider selling to a direct rival in the Premier League - which seems unlikely.
Tuchel will also be consulted over whether he would want the former Real Madrid star having already booted one moody striker out of the club in the form of Romelu Lukaku. The German prefers smaller forwards who can interchange and press from the front.
Ronaldo does not fit those criteria and would be seen more as a battering ram - a similar tactic that completely failed with Lukaku leading the line. There is also the issue of wages and whether it would be wise to hand a player who turns 38 next season a huge contract.
