Following the reports that Juventus will likely not sign Cristiano Ronaldo to an extension deal after 2022, Paris Saint-Germain emerged as the superstar's next possible destination. The unfavorable market condition could see Ronaldo switching sides at the end of the season and the Parisians are tipped as favorites to land the forward.
Financial pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic could prompt Juventus to sell Ronaldo for the chief purpose of cashing in on the prized asset. The Italians are said to be looking to balance their books and offloading the striker's massive salary is among the top options on the table. And not to mention the transfer fee that a deal on Ronaldo will generate.
If indeed the Portugal captain will be placed on the market next summer, PSG will be interested indeed. The club's sporting director, Leonardo, made clear that Ronaldo will come at a high price, and signing him is not his side's priority in the upcoming transfer window.
However, Leonardo is not ruling out the possibility that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will find his way to Ligue 1. The executive reminded that the market situation is crazy right now and anything is possible.
"Today in football we do not know what will happen. Maybe tomorrow Cristiano Ronaldo wakes up and says I want to go play elsewhere ... Who can buy him? It's a closed circle. PSG enters this circle. Usually it is about opportunities, situations," Goal reported the PSG official as saying.
He admitted though that while PSG can make a move on the Juve striker if the opportunity arises, his priority is to extend the contracts of club stars that will run out soon. The Parisians reached the Champions League finals this year but failed to win the crown, and the expectation is to make another run with a stronger roster.
Amid the rumors that Kylian Mbappe and Neymar could leave next summer, Leonardo said keeping the two superstars will be his major tasks in the upcoming transfer windows.
However, bringing Ronaldo on board is likely to make a stronger case for Neymar and Mbappe to stay. According to AS, the 35-year-old had won the Champions League title multiple times, and having him around could be the key for PSG's success in Europe. And with him in the roster, Neymar and Mbappe will see a greater chance of winning the UCL, and therefore would choose to extend at Parc des Princes.
Another possible scenario is that PSG could lose Mbappe to either Real Madrid or Liverpool next summer and the French giants would be hard-pressed to get a replacement. If Ronaldo is available at that time, acquiring him is certainly inviting for Leonardo.
