Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo admitted to being unhappy at Real in September last year, speculation has surrounded the future of the Portuguese star. His form may have been nothing short of miraculous but his Madrid-based ambitions remain plagued with vacillations.
The European Champions League glamor tie with his former club Manchester United has seen this area of unease brought into focus following a spurious report in El Pais that Real would sell Ronaldo if he didn’t commit to a new contract and after former teammate Nemanja Vidic told reporters he wouldn’t be "surprised" by a CR7 return to Old Trafford.
Whether driven by unhappiness in Spain, his love for the English Premier League, or due to stalling contract negotiations at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to some, it seems it is only a matter of time before the 28-year-old goes back to Old Trafford.
So what can we make of this speculation, and should CR7 move back to the club which made him a superstar? Let’s talk about the speculation first.
I know for a fact Ronaldo is regularly in touch with Alex Ferguson. He told me so when we met up last November in Madrid. I also know that his agent, Jorge Mendes, has a good relationship with Fergie and believes a return back to Old Trafford would improve his client’s brand and commercial revenue.
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The truth is Mendes and Ronaldo have become tired of all the infighting at Real Madrid and both of them believe all the negative energy around the club has affected the player’s image.
A return to United would allow Ronaldo to have more emotional support and also increase his chances of winning some of the individual awards he craves. After all, the Premier League is the highest profile domestic league on the planet.
So what would need to happen for a deal to be done? Well, United would have to make a bid that Real Madrid could not refuse.
I would say giving up Nani, David De Gea and around $80 million would get the conversation started. After that, it would come down to how much Ronaldo really wants to leave and how much he pushes for a transfer.
Having said that, I still don’t think the winger will move at the end of the season. It is my belief that Jose Mourinho will exit the Santiago Bernabeu come May, a move that will relieve some of the tension around the club. But Ronaldo will stick around for at least one more campaign.
He would like to be part of the club’s history and beat a few more records before turning his back on Madrid. I also think he doesn’t want to leave while Leo Messi is still considered a better and more successful player than he is.
So onto the second part of the question I asked earlier, should he leave at the end of the season? No, I honestly don’t think there is any rush to go back to Old Trafford.
His form at Real is incredible, his goalscoring stats are amazing, and he should make sure he leaves on good terms. Forcing a move in a few months' time would only leave a sour taste in the mouth of everyone in Madrid and tarnish his legacy at the most famous club on the planet.
My advice to Cristiano would be to stay for another season and then leave in 2014 when there is a year left on his contract.
Go back to Manchester when he is 29 and enjoy another three or four years working with Ferguson, before the great old man of football retires, in the Premier League.
Is this journalism or fanatism?. Ok then Pay up his get out clause Manchester = 1000 million Euros. Mr. Pinto you are a journalist that Does not give The facts and financial numbers of such an operation. Talk about his contract with Real Madrid not wishes.
Yes, he should come back to his former home.He will be more productive here he suits best for English premier League.
he should just retired he would never win anything messi will keep on winning everythinig
He should not come back,i don't think that he will succeed, he will not get the same support as in Madrid because most of the players he played with are gone there is only Giggs who is left.
one more thing will manchester utd pay him the same amount to Real Madrid?
@Borja: Is this journalism or fanatism, you ask? Well I think this is a blog so it's all about opinions and not objective writing, no? And as long as there is freedom of expression, I don't think Mr. Pinto should shut up. 🙂
On another note: I'd love to see Ronaldo accomplish his Spanish mission before leaving Madrid... to help Madrid create a huge gap above Barcelona in terms of supremacy, before he quits to whichever club he wants – be it Man UTD or elsewhere.
A ridiculous and non sense question; best paid, best Club, fail to see a single reason for a move.
CR7 should go back to Man United because if he is not happy in Real then why is he playing there? It's better for him going back to his home, the Old Trafford
Sir Alex has one position that needs filling, holding mid fielder, Ronaldo is not that, however, there is a certain #11 left footed Welshman that could step in, anyone...anyone...Gareth Bale... anyone, anyone...He's Giggs junior.
And the best club in the world is Man U, stop kidding yourselves people, La Liga wishes it was the PL
i think he's a good player, but Man United doesn't need him. he could help bang in some more goals but we are doing just fine with kagawa, van Persie, Rooney and co, besides i doubt if United will be willing to meet the terms of his get out clause in Madrid.
Yes Christy should...his best years were with United plus, United havent really find a play-maker/goal-scorer quite like him since then.
No, he should return to Sporting C P to lead club's young talents .
I think ManU should sign Gareth Bale instead of Ronaldo. CR7 maybe unhappy but ManU is far a better side all they are missing is a left winger that replace The Great Ryan Giggs.
Man U don't need Ronaldo. They just need unbiased referees.
let him return
Ronaldo will be with PSG next year
I think the main reason for his departure from Madrid (if it happens) is Leo Messi because he(CR7) can't win Ballon d'OR until he's in Madrid.He wants to be somewhere else where he is away from Messi (where he isn't compared to him and moreover not competing with him).
But who knows may be he'll continue at Madrid and end Messi's Ballon d'OR STREAK, So we should just wait and keep calm!!!!!
CR7<3<3<33<33<3<3<33<3<<33<3
Ronaldo will stay in madrid and thats it. Messi is nothing compared to CR7
Ronaldo should stay with real madrid because it's the best club in the world that any player dream to play in.
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my inside source tells me he will play for the MLS columbus crew... just joking
i think he should stay @ Real Madrid. Altough he would adapt well to the English style of play since he is tall and athletic.
but Real Madrid is his identity..
never
for CR7, it is a good decision for him to make such move to old traford, Because he is a future legend in United, he worn the best player there and they made him what he is today. so I'm of the opinion that the move is a good thing to do.
its better to go manchester united, why wasting time in real madrid
I cried a lot when ronaldo didn't won the ballon d'or. I think he should go to old trafford. He received a warm welcome there. English people are warm and faithful. If ronaldo is willing for a move, I would personally come and take him out of Madrid.
i will love to see cr7 in our red shirt again,a club that gives you every thing u need,why won't he want to return to oldtraford
He should come back to Manchester! coming back will let him become superstar and more popular than playing in Spain and also work with great experience coach like Fergie!
CR7, Messi, Zlatan, Falcao and RVP are the most exciting footballers in the ongoing season. Extraordinary talent.
when ever the name cr7 is mentioned, messi's name will prop up no matter what the topic is. i just hope that his ct scan doesn't come with a messi tag... now thats leaving under one's shadows
CR7 must stay at real madrid to prove, he is the best player in the world.And this is the world truth reality at present context.
CR7 is one of a million, i really wanted him to prove his worth in spain, irrespective of any challenge he is going through. What if the same challenge shows up in man utd? Would you run?
Dear Pedro Pinto,
nor you nor CNN put today a line on Bayern afther the big winn and the old lady, was really old, Bayern is today one of the best in the world and in EU not to mention,I think you are a bit pre Juve or dont know wath you are saying, Bayern danced all araund juve and it could have bin 5 to 0
Pedro give credit to the one that decirves it OK.