Possibly because of the coronavirus pandemic, Juventus could be forced to let go of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer. The Turin club has been struggling with finances since the lockdown took effect and to cut down expenses, the Portuguese superstar could be allowed to leave. And Ronaldo's options include a reunion with Manchester United.
It is a matter of survival for Juventus to offload Ronaldo, whose £510,000 per salary is putting a strain on the club's finances. To ease the team's money worries, created by the COVID-19 health crisis, Juventus could be forced to sell the striker when the summer transfer window opens up.
The Sun reported that a £62.5 million price tag will be placed on the Juventus star or if he wants to stay with the club, he must agree to a pay cut. Given that he is already 35, it is expected that Ronaldo will choose to arrange a transfer that likely will be his last big-money move.
Where the striker will play next should be easy to predict as not too many teams can afford the price to pay for Ronaldo. A return to Real Madrid seems out of the question as the two sides are not in good terms. To be sure, Zinedine Zidane would not even consider a bid on the goalscorer although he remains on top of his game.
Barcelona is likewise a remote possibility for the football icon. The Catalans are selling key players to ride off the coronavirus outbreak and to fund their mini-rebuild so spending big on the Juve forward is not on the cards for the club.
So it boils down to Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, according to Marca, noting too that both clubs have been known to sign big stars when presented with the opportunity. In recent reports, PSG is said to be getting tempting offers for Neymar and Kylian Mbappe so selling any of the two will bring in the cash for the purchase of Ronaldo.
However, a reunion with the Red Devils would be the most exciting prospect not only for Ronaldo but also for football fans in England. Surely, a return to Old Trafford will see United getting the attention they commanded when the Portuguese first played with the club between 2003 and 2009.
Ronaldo playing with United again is quite possible and Ed Woodward, the club's executive vice-chairman, could make it happen, according to Express. The report said Woodward has been wanting to relive the club's glory days by luring back the superstar.
Numerous opportunities and attempts in the past failed to produce the desired result for Woodward but now that another opening has emerged, the United exec should exercise his power to make Old Trafford Ronaldo's new home, again.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that his club will mostly headline young players but making an exception for Ronaldo shouldn't be a problem. The striker is expected to deliver at least two more years of high-quality performance, which should be enough for Manchester to again start winning trophies.
