3 clubs who could sign Cristiano Ronaldo in January

The future of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has of course made its way to the fore across world football’s headlines once more over the course of the week to date.

This comes after boss Erik ten Hag made crystal clear that he is not willing to back down, amid Ronaldo’s evident frustration with his current situation at Old Trafford.

A Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur in midweek saw United ultimately emerge on the right side of an impressive 2-0 scoreline.

This came owing to 2nd-half goals on the part of midfield duo Fred and Bruno Fernandes.

Whilst his teammates excelled on the pitch, however, Ronaldo was forced to watch on from the bench once more, amid a campaign which has seen the veteran attacker afforded just two league starts to date.

CR7, in turn, was not shy in making his disappointment known, refusing a late substitution before storming down the tunnel at Old Trafford.

And the situation has since only continued to deteriorate.

A club statement on Thursday saw confirmation arrive that Ronaldo has been dropped from first-team duties, ahead of the Red Devils’ highly-anticipated showdown with Chelsea on Saturday evening.

With the ever-steely Ten Hag evidently unwilling to compromise on his vision and standards, Ronaldo’s future in Manchester, as a result, has been thrown back into doubt.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner of course actively sought out an exit over the summer, only to see his efforts come up short in the face of resistance from the powers that be at the club.

This coming winter, though, it does not seem out of the question that the Red Devils could be tempted into a sale, just six months out from the expiration of Ronaldo’s contract.

Where, in all reality, though, could the 37-year-old end up?

Evidently deteriorating when it comes to all-round contribution, and saddled with a mammoth wage packet, very few clubs in world football would likely possess either the financial capacity or desire to bring CR7 in.

For a cut-price fee, and taking into consideration the unmatched marketing opportunities involved, though, at least a couple will be keeping a close eye on the situation.

Here, we take a look at three such outfits.

Paris Saint-Germain

This one would of course be dependent on an equally high-profile mid-season outgoing from the Parc des Princes.

Should Kylian Mbappe see his alleged wish for a departure from PSG in the new year granted, though, who is to say that Ronaldo would not be targeted as a short-term replacement?

Nasser Al-Khelaifi has never been shy in showcasing his willingness to aim for the stars, as evidenced by the additions of all of Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Many a fan the world over has long dreamed of a scenario in which the two greatest players of our generation finally line out alongside one another, rather than on opposing sides.

Could as much come to fruition in Paris this winter?

SSC Napoli

Another option which would evidently come with certain caveats involved.

Italian giants Napoli were hotly tipped as a surprise potential landing spot for Ronaldo over the summer, eager to add to a long line of iconic attacking figures to have plied their trades in Naples down the years.

The hitman himself, meanwhile, is too understood to have been open to a return to Serie A, having of course previously secured a pair of league titles whilst on the books of Juventus.

And Luciano Spalletti’s troops have since only gone about proving themselves even more of an attractive prospect across the season to date.

Sitting pretty atop the Italian top-flight and dominating a Champions League group featuring both Liverpool and Ajax, something special appears to be brewing at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Ronaldo would of course need to drastically reduce his wages, and fight hard for a starting berth, but with Victor Osimhen continuing to struggle for consistent fitness, a low-cost deal could prove a tempting one.

Chelsea

Our final pick to secure a potentially groundbreaking move for Ronaldo come the new year are Manchester United’s Premier League rivals, Chelsea.

For clarity, we have ruled the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Al-Hilal out, owing to concerns over aspects such as game-time, level of competition, and previous statements regarding Ronaldo’s future.

This, of course, leaves few options from across the continent.

We, in turn, have looked closer to home, with Chelsea the last club standing.

CR7 making the move to Stamford Bridge, on the face of it, looks unlikely. The powers that be at Old Trafford would be forced to negotiate with a direct rival, amid what could prove a tense race for a top-4 berth come the season’s end.

Under the right circumstances, though, a deal does not appear impossible.

With Kai Havertz continuing to underwhelm, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not exactly an immovable presence, Ronaldo could undoubtedly carve out time for himself as the attacking spearhead in west London.

Not only that, but Todd Boehly made clear his interest in luring the Portuguese superstar to Stamford Bridge during the summer.

With Erik ten Hag and co. evidently of the opinion that Ronaldo is no longer the player he once was, and the fee secured, as well as any wages saved, reportedly primed to be reinvested in the playing squad at the Theatre of Dreams, could CR7 swapping Manchester for England’s capital in January make sense for all parties involved?

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