Reports coming out of Italy say superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo could ask to leave Juventus should the club fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League and his former side Manchester United are thought to be monitoring the situation with keen interest.
The five-time Balon D’or winner, who quit Old Trafford for the Bernabeau 12 years ago, has since gone on to represent the Series A side, where he has scored a remarkable 101 goals in just 133 appearances since joining from Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2018.
Since his departure, the Portugal captain has long been linked with a return to the club where he first grabbed the world’s attention at a tender age.
Currently fifth on the Series A standings, the Old Lady could finish outside of the Champions League places this season with just a game more to play before the end of the season.
According to a report by The Athletic “agents connected to Juventus insist Cristiano Ronaldo could genuinely leave Italy this summer, in a situation that staff at Old Trafford are monitoring”.
Ronaldo turned out 292 times and scored 118 goals under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before moving to Spanish giants Real Madrid for a then-world record £80 million in the summer of 2009.
Respected Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano suggests that a lack of Champions League football could effectively bring Ronaldo’s time at the Allianz stadium to an abrupt end this summer.
“If Juventus will be out of the Champions League the feeling here in Italy is that Cristiano will ask to leave,” said Romano.
“Let’s see what club can sign Cristiano this summer. Remember he has an incredible salary here at Juventus for one more season for £30million.
“This something really huge for Cristiano right now, and it’s really difficult in this financial situation to find a club prepared to pay him the same salary.
“The bottom line is he wants to play in the Champions League and Juventus still have three game left to get there – but it’s difficult for Juventus at the moment.”
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