It appears a reunion between superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid isn’t to be this winter.
According to Jose Felix Diaz of Marca, there is “no chance” of Ronaldo once again playing for the Spanish giants that employed him from 2009 through the 2017-18 season. The Marca story insists that Real “are not considering making any offer and are merely allowing him the use of their facilities as a favor.”
Eyebrows were raised when ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez, Sky Sports News, and other outlets reported that Ronaldo received permission to train by himself at Real’s Valdebebas ground on Wednesday. The 37-year-old is a free agent after he and Premier League side Manchester United parted ways last month, so it’s only natural some would believe Wednesday’s development is a sign he could re-join Real.
Ronaldo still serves as Real’s all-time leading goal-scorer and helped the club secure four UEFA Champions League and two La Liga titles during his storied tenure. Manager Carlo Ancelotti had an opportunity to bring the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Real this past summer but instead passed because Ancelotti was keen on “looking to the future.”
It’s been said that teams still in this season’s Champions League competition don’t want Ronaldo, but Al-Nassr FC of Saudi Arabia reportedly offered him a deal that could earn him over $200 million per season. He hasn’t officially signed with any club, and Sky added that “a number of teams” from Saudi Arabia wish to land the international icon because the country wants “to make him an ambassador for the game there.”
