If everything goes according to plan, you’ll never see a summer transfer window like this ever again. We’ve already seen Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho switch teams this summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe could join them. In the case of Ronaldo, it could be yet another classic example of how sports fandom is nothing but rooting for clothes. Because Ronaldo is synonymous with the red shirt of Manchester, but is now on the brink of representing the blue side.
Only barrier is City and Juve agreeing fee
– but Juve want him off wage bill
– Ronaldo has spoken to Pep about his role
– personal terms agreed
– he was interested in partnership with Messihttps://t.co/MD7NtLnFP2— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) August 26, 2021
It’s an absolutely mad news day at Manchester City today- Pep Guardiola announced that he’s set to love once his contract is up, and widespread reports indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo is coming- provided the Etihad can reach agreement on a transfer fee with Juventus.
That shouldn’t be too big of an issue given that
a.) it’s being reported that a salary of 250,000 GBP a week has already been agreed upon
b.) a personal terms agreement has been reached
c.) at age 36, CR7’s transfer fee won’t be anywhere near as high as you might expect.
According to Spanish outlet AS, City have offered him a two-year contract, with a salary of €15 million per season, which is still only about half of what he currently earns with Juve.
However, the Italian juggernaut wants them off their wage bill and he’s been outright about his request to leave.
There was only a short list of clubs where the Portugese magnifico could go, with Paris Saint-Germain near the top of the list. While PSG was reportedly considered, where we would have seen a surreal situation of Messi and Ronaldo playing together, City will be the destination.
It’s going to be strange for sure, for everyone in Manchester. Lots of people are going to feel ambivalent and conflicted.
In a United fan poll selecting the club’s greatest player of the Premier League era, Ronaldo won in a landslide. Again, you’re rooting for laundry when you support a sports club.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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