Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Cristiano Ronaldo: Atletico Madrid president breaks silence, with final word on Man Utd raid

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal v Czech Republic June 2022

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has all-but ruled out a summer raid on Manchester United for the wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portugal star wants out of Old Trafford this summer amid the lack of Champions League football there in the upcoming season. He had hopes of driving United on following their second-placed Premier League finish in 2021, but they instead fell away.

And that has led Ronaldo to have serious doubts about continuing for the second season of his two-year return to United.

Several clubs have had links with a move for the Man Utd star. Chelsea and Bayern Munich have both ruled themselves out of the hunt, but Atletico had emerged as a potential option.

Reports even claimed that they could sell Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata to afford Ronaldo’s wages. However, the president of Los Rojiblancos has emphatically ruled out a move.

“I don’t know who invented this story about Cristiano Ronaldo to Atletico Madrid,” Cerezo told El Partidazo de COPE.

“It’s not true. It’s practically impossible for him to come to Atletico Madrid.”

Meanwhile, Bayern chief Oliver Kahn has given a fresh take, again rejecting the proposition of a move for Ronaldo.

Kahn told BILD: “We discussed about Cristiano Ronaldo internally – I consider him one of greatest footballers ever.

“Then we came to conclusion that, despite appreciation for Cristiano, he would not fit into our philosophy in the current situation.”

Ronaldo and Man Utd clashing

Ronaldo, it seems, will struggle to get a move away before the end of the summer transfer window. United’s line for some time has been that he is not for sale.

The 37-year-old, who missed the club’s pre-season tours, arrived back in Manchester on Monday ahead of talks with manager Erik ten Hag.

Reports on Tuesday teased the contents of those discussions, claiming that Ronaldo would demand to leave Old Trafford ‘immediately’.

But with three of his likely suitors all distancing themselves, his task has become significantly harder.

United need swift resolution

In any case, the Ronaldo situation is hanging over United like a bad smell and needs resolving fast.

Ten Hag wants everyone on the same page with just over a week to go until their Premier League campaign gets underway.

Jorge Mendes optimistic about Ronaldo to Atletico Madrid

Jorge Mendes optimistic about Ronaldo to Atletico Madrid

Jorge Mendes is optimistic about Cristiano Ronaldo sealing a move to Atletico Madrid this summer.

However, with Ronaldo’s situation unresolved, it will cause angst in the dressing room. And Ten Hag, undertaking his fresh United project, needs anything but angst as he gets started in the job.

Man Utd also have plans to sign another attacker in Ajax’s Antony, so the situation with their current star man only serves as more of a distraction.