CRISTIANO RONALDO REQUESTS TRANSFER

Soccer

Written by Aaron Cantin

It was a rough season for Manchester United right out of the gate. Not ten games in it were evident they were not title contenders. By the turn of the calendar year, they were pleased to have qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League, but those dreams were quickly dashed as well being knocked out in the round of 16 by Atletico Madrid. The final blow to truly make it a season worth forgetting was finishing outside the top four and failing to qualify for Champions League this upcoming season. It appears they are still feeling the effects of the last setback as Cristiano Ronaldo appears unsettled and has made it clear he wants to play Champions League football next season thus asking for a transfer.

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

Firstly, it’s hard to blame Ronaldo for wanting to challenge for another Champions League trophy. He is the all-time leading goal scorer in the tournament and at the backend of his career, deserves to be competing in the tournament which cemented his legacy. It's not like Ronaldo has slowed down either. The Portuguese superstar led Man Utd in scoring last season. It’s reported that CR7 is willing to take a pay cut in order to leave Old Trafford. This brings the question, where will one of the greatest, if not the greatest player ever suit up next season? Here are the top candidates.

Chelsea

There are reports Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, met with Chelsea's new owner Todd Boehly, when the topic of a potential move was discussed.

Chelsea, who won the Champions League in 2021, finished third in the Premier League in 2021/22 and clinched a UEFA Champions League berth in the process. The Blues struggled in the scoring department and could use a dependable goal-scoring center forward after sending Romelu Lukaku on loan to Inter Milan.

Probability: Low

Napoli

The newest team to be connected to Ronaldo is SSC Napoli, which finished third in Serie A last season and will feature once again in the Champions League. If the Partenopei decides to cash in on the talented and sought-after Victor Osimhen, that would open a sizable hole at forward.

Napoli has been chasing a third Italian league scudetto since their last title in 1989/90 with Diego Maradona as its star. Ronaldo would become a legend in the city if he were able to help the club get over the hump.

Probability: Very low

Bayern Munich

If he's seeking Champions League football, there are a few other potential options, including German champions Bayern Munich which depending on what reports you want to believe, is Ronaldo’s first option.

Ronaldo has never played in the German Bundesliga, and he could line up as a potential replacement for center forward Robert Lewandowski, who seems set on leaving for Barcelona. Ronaldo has often touted his ability to conquer multiple leagues and he might want to have Bundesliga's top scorer on his resume.

Ronaldo to Munich seems like a perfect fit. However, the Bayern board, particularly Oliver Kahn has recently come out and shut down the idea. That being said, if Lewandowski does in fact leave this summer (which I believe he will), I expect the opinions of the Bavarian board to change drastically.

Probability: Strong

Sporting Lisbon

This one may seem shocking but may have the best story. The Portuguese side is where it all started for Ronaldo and on top of this, has qualified for Champions League this season. Ronaldo has also noted he plans on finishing his career where it started.

This would be fairy-tale stuff however Ronaldo still has a lot to give at the top level and still has enough to fulfill a two- or three-year contract with a title-contending team before making his way back to Portugal.

Probability: Medium

PSG

Can you imagine? Messi and Ronaldo. This is LeBron, Jordan pairing up-esque. That is the only comparison that would even come close. Of course, both are nearing the end of their careers but this would be the equivalent of two worlds colliding with die-hard fans of both finally able to admit and cheer, for the opposition.

PSG is pretty good too. Really good. But that has been the narrative for years now and every time they have failed to achieve the ultimate goal, winning the Champions League.

Probability: Medium

It is difficult to determine where Ronaldo will play next season. Manchester United are doing everything in its power to keep the player and they have the right to refuse any transfers. For me, I still think he suits up for the Red Devils come the new season. If Robert Lewandowski does leave Bayern however m opinion will quickly change.