Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Cristiano Ronaldo and Eden Hazard
Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly have no interest in signing Cristiano Ronaldo if the Real Madrid icon is sold next summer, according to reports.
The Premier League giants have previously been linked with swoops for the superstar but now hold no immediate ambitions in his potential availability.
Diego Castro of Diario Gol (h/t the Daily Express' James Benson) reported Ronaldo could leave the Spanish capital but will not be rejoining his former club or the current Premier League champions. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will reportedly also stay out of the bidding for the forward, seemingly leaving Ronaldo few options at the top seats of European football.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
The news will come as a surprise to football fans, but with Los Blancos president Florentino Perez wanting £88 million for his star—per Castro—few teams will want to pay the sum for a player that turns 33 in February.
United have long been linked with a move for their former winger. However, the recent capture of Alexis Sanchez has fulfilled the immediate need to sign a superstar forward that is recognised on the global stage.
Ronaldo recently declared he is happy in Spain and desires to stay at the Bernabeu Stadium.
Speaking to Chinese football app Dongqiudi (h/t Husmukh Kerai of Sky Sports), Ronaldo said:
"Of course I want to stay here, I love this club.
"I like living here. I've lived in this city since 2009 and I love the weather and the people. It's close to Portugal and you can get there by car. Spain is a great country, I love it."
Real appear set to revamp their options after a catastrophic defence of their La Liga title, with the Spanish and European champions currently 19 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Los Blancos are also playing second fiddle in the capital, as Atletico Madrid reside eight points clear of their rivals.
Perez has never been one to shy away from change, and he will be searching for his next world-class player.
Eden Hazard reportedly remains a target, and Real were given a boost in his potential capture after reports said Chelsea will not sell the Belgium international to Manchester City.
The Telegraph's Matt Law (h/t Gary Stonehouse of The Sun) reported the Stamford Bridge team would refuse any bid from Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola, even if they were offered a world record fee by the current Premier League leaders.
Hazard has dodged signing an extension with his club, as Perez waits in the wings to pounce if he becomes available.
Hazard has firmly established himself as one of the world's top players, but a move to Real would solidify his status as one of his country's greatest-ever exports.
The attacking midfielder could be viewed as Ronaldo's long-term heir, but Real would need to find a new striker to supplement goalscoring if Hazard takes the Portuguese player's role.
Despite his team's woes, Ronaldo has scored 17 goals in 22 appearances in La Liga and Europe this season, and Hazard doesn't have the consistency in front of goal to match these numbers.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
