Report: Cristiano Ronaldo Allowed to Leave Real Madrid If Neymar Joins from PSG

Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly be allowed to leave Real Madrid this summer if they are able to sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain. 

According to Manu Sainz of AS, Ronaldo has ambitions of rejoining Manchester United but a move would be contingent on Neymar arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The forward would have been allowed to leave last summer had Kylian Mbappe joined, but after he opted instead to move to PSG, Real president Florentino Perez is said to have promised Ronaldo a pay rise.

With new terms still not in the offing and speculation over the possibility he could be used as a makeweight to sign Neymar, Ronaldo seemingly wants to move on from Los Blancos.

Despite all he's achieved in the Spanish capital, he'll be 33 in February, and Real need to begin the transition to a younger attacking lineup, so clearing his enormous wages off the books would be a huge help in that regard.

However, regardless of the club's ability to pull off a sensational deal for Neymar just one year after his arrival in Paris from Barcelona, unless they're willing to accept a relatively low fee for Ronaldo, it will be difficult for any suitors to justify spending big on him at his age.

Football writer Liam Canning was sceptical of a mooted return to Old Trafford:

The Portugal international would be welcomed as a returning legend at United, but he's not a player who can take the club forward at this point.

United have just signed a player they hope can do that in Alexis Sanchez, and he will wear Ronaldo's old shirt number, per football writer John Brewin:

As such, a Ronaldo deal would only make sense from United's perspective if he would cost little in the way of transfer fees and perhaps be willing to not only take a wage cut but also accept he would not be the main man at the club.

Given the sale of Ronaldo would reportedly only take place after Neymar has been brought in, Real would be wanting to recoup as much as they could after spending what would surely be an unprecedented sum on the Brazil international.

Even if he's allowed to leave without Neymar arriving, reaching an agreement that suits him and both clubs will be difficult.