Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Cristiano Ronaldo, Victor Valdes Rumours
The agent of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Jorge Mendes, is reportedly keen for the forward to leave the club, with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain apparently interested in signing him.
According to Sport (h/t Will Giles of Metro) the Portuguese’s representative is negotiating an exit plan for Ronaldo. Giles suggested the player’s relationship with Real manager Rafael Benitez isn’t particularly good, which could prompt the Red Devils to move for their former no. 7.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague recently claimed on Sky Sports that “everything is ready for him to go back” to United. It’s also suggested it would be “dream” for Ronaldo to return to Old Trafford, but according David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, French giants PSG are currently the forward’s preferred destination should he leave Real Madrid.
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To lose Ronaldo would certainly be a big blow to Los Blancos, especially when you consider just how important the 30-year-old is to the team's cause. As we can see here, courtesy of CaughtOffside, he is one of the very best goalscorers ever to play the game:
For United and the Premier League, it would be tremendous to see Ronaldo back at Old Trafford. He may not be the same type of player who left the Red Devils, with his future as a footballer most likely as a No. 9 rather than an adventurous wide player. Still, his golden touch in front of goal remains prominent.
However, as a player who is increasingly reliant on the service of his team-mates, perhaps it’s no surprise his numbers have been a little erratic in recent matches, per InfostradaSports:
It’d still take a massive offer to prise Ronaldo away from the Santiago Bernabeu. Despite being 30, Ronaldo has kept himself in tremendous shape down the years, and as such, he has many seasons left at the top level. As he stands on the cusp of breaking Los Blancos’ all-time goalscoring record, there are few things left for him to achieve in the Spanish capital.
United would reap the benefits of such a significant outlay, but you do wonder whether that money may be better invested in the club’s infrastructure to promote some organic growth and, potentially, toward unearthing and nurturing the next Ronaldo.
Chelsea Eyeing Victor Valdes
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly keeping tabs on United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, with the Blues boss apparently concerned an injury to Asmir Begovic could ruin Chelsea’s season.
According to Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline, the former Barcelona stopper is being eyed as part of a contingency plan for the Blues. Begovic is currently doing a fine job between the sticks for the champions in place of the injured Thibaut Courtois, but if the Bosnian was to miss out for some reason going forward, there’s little quality in reserve.
Here’s what Valdes could potentially offer the Blues, who have endured a tough start to the Premier League campaign:
Valdes hasn’t shown the levels displayed the previous clip for a while now. At United, he has fallen out of favour with manager Louis van Gaal and seems unlikely to play for the club again any time soon. Needless to say, a transfer out of Old Trafford would be the best course of action for the ex-Barcelona star.
It’s a shame Valdes has been marginalised. As WhoScored.com touched upon, the ‘keeper does have plenty to offer at the highest level:
That’d be valuable to Chelsea in a potential crisis, but as Mokbel noted, the Red Devils are unlikely to let the goalkeeper leave the club to join up with a rival for the top spots in the Premier League. It wouldn’t be the best career choice for the 33-year-old anyway if he wants consistent minutes.
After an anterior cruciate ligament in early 2014 left Valdes on the sidelines for almost 12 months, his ill-fated spell at United now means he’s not played regular football for approaching two years. For a goalkeeper who should be at his peak, that’s a big concern. And while some chances at Chelsea may be appealing in the short term, in the long term, he’s unlikely to push the immaculate Courtois out of the picture.
