Cristiano Ronaldo is a global superstar who has achieved everything in football.
And he has been able to do it because of Manchester United.
So to hear reports linking Ronaldo with an interest in a move to Manchester City (via Di Marzio) , frankly, it is sickening.
What is the situation?
Ronaldo is not happy at Juventus and has not been for quite a while. Seeing rival Lionel Messi join PSG seems to have further agitated him.
His options are admittedly slim. Real Madrid don’t appear likely to re-sign him, and PSG are not interested either.
Fabrizio Romano reports Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes is trying to strike a deal with Manchester City.
City need a striker and in football terms, he is a short-term solution after the Harry Kane deal fell through.
So it falls on Cristiano Ronaldo to simply say ‘no’, or even better, ‘never’ when it comes to City.
A superstar thanks to United
Four of Ronaldo’s five Champions League titles may have come at Real Madrid – but Cristiano Ronaldo is a superstar thanks to his time at Manchester United.
United signed him as a raw teenager from Sporting in 2003 and played the most crucial part in his development into one of the best players in the world.
Sir Alex Ferguson showed huge faith in Ronaldo and helped him develop into one of the best players the Premier League has ever witnessed, and one of the best number 7s ever to wear the Manchester United shirt.
Ronaldo’s record at United is legendary, winning three league titles and one Champions League, and scoring 42 goals in the 2007/08 season and going on to win his first Ballon d’Or.
One of Ronaldo’s former United teammates Carlos Tevez signed for City, and his legacy at Old Trafford has forever been tarnished.
Ronaldo is still held in high regard by United fans. The very highest.
This will all change if he signs with City. The prospect of him wearing City blue and celebrating with ‘them’, doesn’t bear thinking about.
It would be an insult to Sir Alex Ferguson, and quite honestly, it is shocking Ronaldo even appears to be considering it.
He doesn’t need this. Ronaldo has achieved everything there is to achieve in football. Why undo some of the greatness he has done by signing with City?
Sure, he may win an extra trophy or two, but he will sour his reputation in the process. United fans won’t even be able to look at him.
Why aren’t United making a move?
Edinson Cavani’s presence at United makes a second move for an ageing striker unlikely.
While possible United could try and offload Anthony Martial and sign Ronaldo, it just doesn’t seem to be on the club’s agenda.
Next summer United will need a striker, and Ronaldo could be a temporary fall-back option if Erling Haaland signs elsewhere.
But he will be 37 then, and he may not even wait around for the possibility.
Ronaldo should have pushed harder for an exit last summer. United may have gone for him instead of Cavani.
This could all be games from Jorge Mendes, to try and secure a move elsewhere. He famously linked Bruno Fernandes to Barcelona days before his United move. Let’s hope so.
Ronaldo to City? Let’s never hear of it again. No Manchester United fan would ever be able to look at him the same way.
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