Manchester United Transfer News: Elite Stars Eyed by Louis Van Gaal, Top Rumours
It’s been revealed that Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo still has a major soft spot for former club Manchester United but is likely to opt against rejoining the Red Devils in favour of Paris Saint-Germain.
That’s according to Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, who revealed to the Sports Bar on talkSPORT what the future holds for Los Blancos’ all-time record goalscorer, insisting it will not be long before he leaves the Santiago Bernabeu for a new challenge:
"Next he’s leaving Real Madrid. The strategy is in place from his people to leave this summer, if the money is there and Paris Saint-Germain are willing to pay it and Real Madrid feel it is the right time to let him go.
He idolises Manchester United. The fans, the atmosphere and the club, but the club is in a different place now. But why would they spend €125million, plus playing him 20-odd million per year, why would they do that at this stage?
PSG are willing to pay for him, he is happy to move on when he feels the time is right, but remember what happened at Manchester United, where he wanted to leave a year before he actually did, so if it’s not this summer it’ll be next summer.
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While Ronaldo still reportedly “idolises” the Red Devils, it’s a reverence in which the club’s supporters hold him, too. The Portuguese forward’s name still echoes around Old Trafford on matchdays, and despite his advancing years, you can bet there are plenty associated with United who would love to have their former No. 7 back at the club.
As we can see here courtesy of 8 Fact Football, Ronaldo’s goalscoring has been simply astonishing since he left the Red Devils for Los Blancos:
Still, as Balague alludes to, it’s a lot of money for a player who will be 31 by the end of the season. Ronaldo keeps himself in exceptional shape and has previously expressed a desire to play until he’s 40, per Marca (h/t Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC), but United could surely utilise that money better in other areas of the squad, as they seek to reestablish themselves as a major force on the field.
The cash could potentially go into the infrastructure, perhaps geared towards finding the next player who can scale Ronaldo’s heights. Organic growth is always imperative for a club like United, and although it’d be wonderful to see the Portuguese back in the red jersey, it’d be a major indulgence.
Harry Kane Move Ruled Out
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed reports linking his star striker Harry Kane with a move to Manchester United.
As reported by Uche Amako of the Daily Express, there were stories suggesting the Red Devils were ready to spend £50 million on Kane in the previous transfer window, while recent reports from Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News suggest United “retain an interest” in the youngster.
But when asked about a possible transfer during his press conference on Friday, the Spurs boss laughed the prospect off. “I smile because the rumours are always there,” said Pochettino, per Amako. “The rumours are the rumours. Even now it is too early start speaking about rumours but you know in football it is normal.”
While it’s been a difficult start to the current season, Kane seemed to rediscover his goalscoring touch with a hat-trick away at Bournemouth last weekend. Overall, his goalscoring has been sensational in 2015, per OptaJoe:
United could definitely do with some reinforcements up front. At the moment manager Louis van Gaal only really has Wayne Rooney, who has struggled for form as of late, and Anthony Martial, who is superb but still young, to call upon. Kane could certainly add something different to what would quickly become a fearsome front line with him involved.
Kane seems to love playing for Spurs, though, and after signing a new contract that ties him down at the club until 2020 earlier this year, the Londoners would command a massive sum of money if he was to leave. So for now, the forward needs to prove his 2014-15 term wasn’t an anomaly and get back to scoring on a much more consistent basis.
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