If someone had told you a few years ago that nobody wants Cristiano Ronaldo on their football team, would you have believed them? According to ESPN, that is exactly what is happening. They are reporting that Manchester United will accept a loan for Cristiano Ronaldo paying part of the salary in January 2023. But the club has not received any official offer for Cristiano Ronaldo, despite being open to the Portuguese leaving for free since the last transfer window. The star player is out of the derby against Chelsea, which takes place at Stamford Bridge. The striker was blocked by Erik ten Hag as punishment for refusing to take the field in the second half of Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Tottenham.
Cristiano Ronaldo also angered the coach by leaving the bench before the end of the game to walk to the dressing room and then leaving the stadium without the coach’s permission. Criticized by Ten Hag in July after returning home during the pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford, Ronaldo’s latest display of indiscipline has raised the possibility of the Portuguese player leaving United in January. Man U’s management, led by Americans from the Glazer family who own the club, have been keen to part with Ronaldo ever since the player made it clear he wanted a change, even before the start of the season.
A Steal
After signing Cristiano Ronaldo for 15 million euros from Juventus in August 2021, the English club did not seek any financial compensation for transferring the Portuguese, with the only condition that the interested party take over his contract, which yields nothing less than 500 thousand pounds ($565,227,490) per week for the striker.
But aside from interest from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Manchester United has seen their desire to trade the Portuguese fizzle out, with ambitious and well-funded teams in Turkey indifferent to the prospect of signing the player. Sources say there is hope at Old Trafford that more clubs could emerge as potential options for Ronaldo if he excels with Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar. And with six months remaining on his United contract, there is also a chance Ronaldo could be loaned out in January, should another club be willing to agree to a deal to pay a portion of his salary.
Approaching his 38th birthday (February 5) and scoring just two goals in all matches for Manchester United this season, Cristiano Ronaldo is struggling to attract the interest of clubs that can offer him an escape route from Old Trafford in January. Ronaldo will definitely go down as one of the best footballers of all time, but it will not be because of his performance in 2022.