Why Don’t They Want CR7?
Photo Credit: New York Times
As many soccer fans know by now, on Saturday, July 2, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo requested a transfer from Manchester United. The reason for this is because Ronaldo wants to play in the Champions League for the remainder of his career and doesn't see that happening with the way this last season transpired with Man United. According to Bleacher Report, he has shown interest in teams, including Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint Germain. However, none of those teams have shown interest in picking up Ronaldo, and many wonder if he would even be a good fit. So let's take a look into why teams are not showing interest in the 37-year-old phenom.
Chelsea
According to sportswriter Ed Aarons of The Guardian, Chelsea was offered the opportunity to sign Ronaldo after he expressed that he wanted to leave Manchester United. Aarons stated, “However, it is believed that Chelsea- who completed the signing of Raheem Sterling on Wednesday from Manchester City for €50 million - have rejected the opportunity after discussions with Thomas Tuchel.”
While Chelsea would be a great team for Ronaldo to go to because it would make the team more of a challenge and give them a better chance to compete in the Champions League, Chelsea would also have to change their entire dynamic by adding him to the team. At 37 years old, Ronaldo's only focus when he's on the pitch is scoring goals because that's what makes him the best striker of all time. However, Chelsea runs a false nine with midfielder Kai Havertz so having a striker isn't really necessary for their lineup when they have an extra attacking midfielder.
PSG
Paris Saint German has also declined their interest in signing Ronaldo as well. Reports from news18.com believe this is due to PSG manager Christophe Galtier having too much on his plate trying to keep the trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar together.
Many people believe there is also a highly likely chance that Ronaldo may have to stay in Man United if teams don't want him. It also doesn't help that, even at 37 years old, Ronaldo's services are very expensive. His current salary is €30 million per year, according to footballtransfers.com. However, man United manager Erik ten Hag has stated that he has no interest in trying to get rid of Ronaldo and plans on building the team around him for the upcoming season.
Bayern Munich
While Bayern Munich has stated they're not interested in signing Ronaldo, they might just change their mind. Bayern Munich and Barcelona have just agreed to a transfer of Robert Lewandowski at the time of this writing. With the loss of their main striker, it might be wise for Bayern to get the next best thing right now in Ronaldo, who, even at his age, is one of the top strikers in soccer. If Ronaldo's manager Jorge Mendes can't find a team soon, then CR7 will have to return to Old Trafford with the Premier League season starting on Saturday, August 6.