Sporting Lisbon have reportedly ‘stepped up their interest’ in re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, according to The Sun. If the media are to be believed, the 37-year-old Manchester United forward has requested to leave the Old Trafford club this summer.
However, they player himself posted on social media on Tuesday that out of 100 stories in the media this summer, five of them have been right. Ronaldo has suggested that he will give an interview in the next fortnight to clarify everything.
It either means that the media have got it completely wrong this summer or that Ronaldo has performed a U turn at United and will remain at the Old Trafford club for the remainder of his contract which will end in the summer of 2023.
It has been reported that Ronaldo would like to play UEFA Champions League football this season, which United did not qualify for – something he would have known back in April as the chances of that happened were pretty remote back then.
After being linked to the likes of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, amongst others, Ronaldo has been limited in destinations where he can play during the 2022/23 season. It would seem that clubs do not want to risk bringing in the 37-year-old this summer.
That said, according to Foot Mercato, the club that United signed Ronaldo from in 2003, Sporting Lisbon seem interested in re-signing him. Hugo Viana, a former team-mate of Ronaldo’s and now the sporting director at Lisbon is reportedly working hard to sign the legendary Portuguese international.
Sporting could offer Ronaldo Champions League football this season and their start to the season has been much better than United’s with a 3-3 draw against Sporting Braga and a 3-0 victory over Rio Ave – having four points to United’s nil point.
United season started with a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford to Brighton and Hove Albion which was followed by a 4-0 thrashing to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. United will go head to head with Liverpool on Monday at the Theatre of Dreams.
Liverpool’s season has not been the best, drawing twice in their opening matches and suffering many injuries and a sending off for new striker Darwin Nunez, who will miss the clash with United. It could well be that Ronaldo misses that match too, if these reports are true.
Written by John Walker
