The summer 2021 transfer window sure started slow, but it really came alive and showed strong in the second half. We have already seen Lionel Messi switch teams, could we see Cristiano Ronaldo move on as well?
According to Fabrizio Romano, one of the leading journalists in the world among those who specialize in global football transfers, Cristiano Ronaldo has made a formal request to leave Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be on the bench for Udinese-Juventus. Official. ??? #Ronaldo
He’s NOT starting – it was a precise request from Cristiano because he hopes to find a solution on the market in the next days.
But Juventus have received NO official bids yet for Cristiano. pic.twitter.com/sQ0z3rO1Bk
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 22, 2021
The Milan based Romano, who currently reports for Sky Sports Italy and The Guardian, points out that Ronaldo is hoping the invisible hand of the free market will settle his situation appropriately and justly.
However, Juve have yet to receive any bids as of yet, and we only have eight days left in the summer transfer window. You also have the obvious problem that the list of potential suitors is very small and it includes:
Manchester City
one of only two clubs that have the money to buy anyone anywhere anytime, but last we checked, like half their team is wing players right now. Plus a United club legend among club legends suiting up for City? C’mon.
Although with this Harry Kane thing probably not going to happen, you just never know.
Manchester United
A long awaited return, or a great price of just $34.2 million (according to reports)? Sure, sounds wonderful on paper, but that means Old Trafford would need to get sales of surplus players, especially so in attack, lined up/executed first.
Another in the maybe pile. Ronaldo only has one year left on his deal, and he is 36, in case you were wondering why a galactico in his orbit would only cost about $34m.
Paris Saint-Germain
The other club in Man City’s category but with Messi signed and all their other drunken sailor level spending, how will it work under Financial Fair Play? This would seem likely, but only if/when Kylian Mbappe moves on.
And ifs and buts were candy and nuts, then we’d all have a Merry Christmas.
Real Madrid
This seemed to have made the most sense, until manager Carlo Ancelotti ruled it out. In the end, it may be that CR7 stays put. While Ronaldo definitely wants out, the club isn’t interested in selling him right now, and they have adopted a public stance that the face of Portugal football is staying put.
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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