Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of playing Champions League football this season appears to be over as last chance saloon proprietors Napoli have decided against signing him.
“Mendes has given up. Or so it seems,” Il Mattino says.
“The last attempt failed. Naples is not there: they don’t even consider the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo’s free loan without the departure of Osimhen.
“Yesterday morning the Portuguese agent noted that Manchester United, after the €100
million spent on Antony, does not intend to make offers to the blue club for the Nigerian striker.
“And so, for Napoli, the suggestion of the end of August ends exactly as it began. De Laurentiis has categorically stated: the doors to Cristiano are practically barred.
“The free loan option was linked exclusively to the sale of Osimhen for 140-150 million euros: this was the condition sine qua non to bring the Portuguese Star to Naples. “
🚨 Napoli have shut the door on any possibility that they could sign Cristiano Ronaldo. ⛔️🇵🇹
(Source: @mattinodinapoli) pic.twitter.com/TqXu47naZs
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 31, 2022
The report goes on to say that Ronaldo’s salary is more than the rest of the Napoli squad combined, so the club would only have been in a position to try to meet it if United had bought Victor Osimhen for €140-€150 million.
This would have created a vacancy in the centre forward position and the means for Napoli to take on the 37 year old’s hefty salary.
It would certainly seem that Ronaldo has just 36 hours or so left to slash his salary demands, or even agree to play for free, or give up his attempt to leave United.
Judging by recent reports about his new-found camaraderie within the United dressing room, he appears to have chosen the latter.
Talksport’s Anil Kandola claims that Erik ten Hag is set to confirm this in his press conference this afternoon.
❗️| Erik ten Hag is due to announce Cristiano Ronaldo will be STAYING at #mufc in his presser later today. [@AnilKandola]
— centredevils. (@centredevils) August 31, 2022
Barring last minute surprises, it would appear that Manchester United will have the world’s most famous and expensive supersub for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.
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