Has Ronaldo Played His Last Game for Real Madrid?
- Juventus have made a €100 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo
- The Real Madrid star has been feuding with the club for some time; is it time for him to leave?
- There are a few clubs that would be interested in the 33-year-old if he were to leave
We’ve heard it all before but it seems like it’s actually happening this time. After months of speculation, Juventus have finally made their move, posting a €100 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Real Madrid superstar has had his problems with the club and isn’t afraid to publicly air his grievances. It’s a well-trodden path: Ronaldo lashes out at Real Madrid, transfer rumors start to swirl, Real Madrid placates their superstar, everything returns to normal.
A €100 million transfer fee for a 33-year-old is hard to refuse.
But this time, it’s different. A €100 million transfer fee for a 33-year-old is hard to refuse. It’s more than the €94 million they paid for him in 2009, which was a world record transfer fee at the time. With Real Madrid, Ronaldo won two domestic championships and four Champions League titles. Now, they could offload the ageing superstar at a profit.
So what’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo?
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds Ronaldo starts the 2018-19 season at Real Madrid | 4/1 |
After finishing the 2017-18 La Liga season at a distant third place, Real Madrid may be eager for some fresh blood to rejuvenate the squad. Neymar has been linked with a move to Los Blancos for some time, and so has his PSG partner Kylian Mbappé. Neither player will come cheap, and selling Ronaldo will free up the cash and space for a younger striker.
Selling Ronaldo will free up the cash and space for a younger striker.
Even if the Juve deal falls through, there are quite a few clubs that would leap at the chance to pick up Ronaldo. Perhaps not to the tune of €100 million, but in this brave new world of eye-popping transfer fees, it’s not unfathomable that a club like Manchester United or PSG would fork out something in that ballpark.
There are clearly issues behind the scenes at Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane resigned after handing the club their fourth Champions League trophy in five years, a move that left the club president stunned. Ronaldo wasn’t quite as bold, and instead made vague, cryptic statements to the press: “It was very nice to be in Madrid.”
Ronaldo has a history of using transfer threats as a bargaining chip during negotiations, but this time it seems like he’s really following through.
Odds Ronaldo starts the 2018-19 season at…
| Club | Odds |
|---|---|
| Juventus | 9/11 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 10/1 |
| Manchester United | 10/1 |
| Sporting CP | 25/1 |
| The MLS | 30/1 |
Juventus is the obvious choice here. The Italian champions have already made a bid, and it’s perhaps an offer too good to turn down. It’s been over two decades since Juve have tasted Champions League glory, and who better than Ronaldo to take them back to the pinnacle of European football?
PSG and Manchester United are two other clubs to keep an eye on. Paris Saint-Germain have what appears to be a bottomless bankroll and recently splashed €222 million to pick up Neymar. So why wouldn’t they spend €100 million for Ronaldo?
It’s been over two decades since Juve have tasted Champions League glory, and who better than Ronaldo to take them back to the pinnacle of European football?
Man United have wanted to bring Ronaldo back ever since they sold him. Especially now, with Manchester City threatening to dominate the English Premier League for many seasons to come, they need someone who can kick the club into a higher gear. Alexis Sánchez and Romelu Lukaku are both excellent strikers, but they’re not quite on Ronaldo’s level.
Moving back to Sporting, Ronaldo’s boyhood club, would be a romantic move. It would be like Carlos Tevez returning to Boca Juniors, or Robin van Persie coming home to Feyenoord. Obviously, €100 million is far beyond Sporting’s means. But if the Juve deal just happens to fall through, Sporting Clube de Portugal could be there to make a play for their golden boy.
The MLS is where ageing superstars go to retire, and Ronaldo should be well into the sunset years of his career. But at 33 years old, he’s still going strong. He’s won the last two Ballon d’Ors and is still arguably the best player in the world.
Don Aguero is a man of many talents, writing about nearly anything you can put odds to. Don has been writing for SportsBettingDime since 2015, covering sports, entertainment and politics. You name it, he's covered it! He is also a steadfast West Ham fan, and has learned to embrace that suffering.
