Doubts raised over potential Cristiano Ronaldo move to MLS
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United career looks to be coming to an end. Since a very explosive interview with Piers Morgan for TALK TV where he said he felt ‘betrayed by the club’, you would think that there would be no way back for him at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese forward is now 37 years old so is in the autumn of his career and would be expected to make a move to MLS. However, speaking to Sky Sports, the former Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo player Calen Carr admitted he does not think he will move to the US.
“I highly doubt this. It sounds like Ronaldo is still desperate to prove some of the doubters wrong and to find his way into a top club and be the central figure in Europe and in the Champions League.
“But when the wages and all of that come through, maybe he has to look at different options and maybe then MLS becomes a better option and a more intriguing one. From everything we’ve heard from him, though, it doesn’t sound like that.”
Who could take Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United?
Inter Miami have been linked with Ronaldo, and their manager Phil Neville played with him at United so could be the man to get him back on track. However, in his interview with Morgan, Ronaldo was critical of Neville’s brother and Sky Sports pundit Gary, which could cause some tension.
Ronaldo’s attitude has been poor since the summer, when it was reported that he wanted to leave. He has refused to come on as a substitute during United’s 2-0 victory over Spurs and, after they beat Fulham 2-1 the interview with Morgan wasreleased. It seems that every time the Red Devils do well without him, Ronaldo has to make it about himself even if it provides controversy.
MLS has had many big-name players with giant egos, some being more successful than others. However, some of the clubs in the league have favored developing players instead of being retirement homes. LA Galaxy and LAFC are both also possible destinations for Ronaldo, but the way he has been acting recently may put off clubs from signing him.
MLS has attracted big names
Ronaldo joining any club in the US will of course be as big as when David Beckham signed for LA Galaxy, or when Pele joined the New York Cosmos.
America has hosted legendary Portuguese player Eusebio who played for the Boston Minutemen, Toronto Blizzard, Las Vegas Quicksilvers, New Jersey American and Buffalo Stallions. Ronaldo could be the next great player from Portugal to play in the US.
Just the commercial side of signing Ronaldo would be worth it even if he is past his best. But it would certainly be a challenge for a manager of any MLS team to integrate such a prima donna into their team.
This season for United, Ronaldo has played 16 times, scoring three goals and creating two assists. Far from outstanding form from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo wants to continue to play for a Champions League club and has the World Cup to prove he can still perform with Portugal in a group with Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. No club in Europe’s premier competition came in for him last summer so it could be time for one of the World’s greatest-ever players to join MLS.
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