Manchester United Transfer News: Cristiano Ronaldo Exit Rumours Circle Madrid

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly ready to leave the club next summer, with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain interested in signing him.

That’s according to David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, who wrote that the Portuguese sensation fancies a “new challenge” after what will be seven years in the Spanish capital. Real, it’s claimed, would want a world-record transfer fee of £90 million for their star striker, even though Ronaldo will be 31 next summer.

Here’s a look at why Los Blancos feel as though they would be able to command that kind of money for the player:

McDonnell wrote that United have been interested in bringing Ronaldo back to the club again since his departure in 2009. However, he claims the French champions have a fair chance of signing the 30-year-old too:

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The Reds would be willing to meet Ronaldo’s £15m-a-year wage demands, on top of the fee, knowing the commercial revenue his return would generate, allied to his influence on the pitch, would more than offset such a huge outlay.

Despite his past history and emotional bond with United, however, it is understood Ronaldo would favour a move to PSG next summer, should he decide the time is right to leave Real.

But that would not stop United making a concerted effort to woo back one of the greatest players in their illustrious history, one still missed by their fans and whose name is still sung by the United crowd.

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For football romanticists, having Ronaldo back at Old Trafford would be a joy. As McDonnell noted, he remains a hugely popular figure with the United supporters after helping the club to three league titles and the Champions League during his six-year stay.

As we can see here courtesy of CaughtOffside, since moving to Real Madrid, Ronaldo has established himself as arguably the finest goalscorer of this generation:

If United were to lure Ronaldo back they’d be getting a completely different type of player to the one who left the club. No longer an out-and-out winger, the Portuguese has moved into a more central position in the past two seasons, with managers Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez looking to accentuate his nose for goals.

Indeed, his future certainly seems to be as a central striker; Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague thinks he’s the best No. 9 in world football:

The benefits of this transfer for United would be obvious. Not only would they be getting a player the supporters adore, they’d be securing one of the best goalscorers in the world who is hungry to take on a new challenge late in his career. In addition, Ronaldo is a forward that’s well acquainted with the robust nature of the Premier League.

Sergey Ponomarev/Associated Press

But while Ronaldo still has years left in him at the very top level, for a whopping £90 million, United could put the groundwork in when it comes to finding the next superstar. As noted by Sam Pilger of FourFourTwo, the club has done well unearthing some bright young players this season:

Ronaldo would probably represent value for money, even if United did part with such a substantial transfer fee. After all, not only would he score goals that’d push this team back to the top of English and European football, but the commercial gains that would come from signing one of the world’s most recognisable sportsmen would be enormous.

But there are stumbling blocks to consider, especially if Ronaldo does fancy a crack at PSG. In addition, it’s rare for Real Madrid to cash in on their star players, of which the Portuguese is the very best. So at the moment, a reunion with Ronaldo remains a fanciful proposition for the Red Devils.