Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United reunion might last shorter than anyone might have guessed. According to multiple sources with knowledge about the situation, Ronaldo wants to leave the club and has already handed in his transfer request.
Reportedly, Ronaldo wants to play in UEFA Champions League, something that Man Utd can’t offer him this season. The 37-year-old player is aware that he doesn’t have many more years on the top level and wants to spend them chasing trophies. His preferred destination remains unclear at the moment, but Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Napoli are mentioned as clubs that have an interest in the Portuguese superstar.
On the other hand, Manchester United is reluctant to see Ronaldo leave Old Trafford this summer. Despite some uncertainty about his overall impact on the team, the club still recognized that he is guaranteed to deliver a certain number of goals and that their options up front are far from ideal if he leaves. It is also believed that new manager Erik Ten Hag is eager to work with Ronaldo and views him as an important part of his plans.
The Ronaldo transfer saga is likely only at the beginning, and there might be several twists and turns before it resolves. Ronaldo recently made the first move, deciding not to join the rest of the team for the start of preseason. The official version is that Ronaldo is absent due to “family reasons,” but sources believe that this is just one of the tactics that should convince Man Utd to let him go.
Cristiano Ronaldo re-joined Manchester United last summer with a goal to help the club get back to its glory days. However, his second coming with the Premier League side has been disappointing so far. The club struggled in 2021-22, exiting the UCL in Round of 16 and finishing sixth in the domestic competition. Still, Ronaldo had a solid campaign individually, scoring 24 goals in all competitions.
