Cristiano Ronaldo: Santos happy to advise star on future
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly, for now, refusing to take a pay cut at Manchester United. The Juventus star has been linked with a Hollywood return to Old Trafford ahead of the summer transfer window. And while that seems unlikely, stranger things have certainly happened.
Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United in 2003 as David Beckham’s replacement.
And he left six years later as one of the club’s best-ever players, helping them win the Champions League in 2008 as well as three Premier League titles on the spin.
Ronaldo is currently strutting his stuff for Juventus and has been a shining light amid a problematic campaign over in Turin.
It was recently reported that, with the 36-year-old’s future up in the air, he’s held talks with United about a potential return.
It was claimed, though, that the Red Devils want him to take a pay cut if he’s to move back to Manchester.
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And Tuttomercatoweb say Ronaldo, for the time being, is unwilling to lower his salary.
At Juventus, he pockets £27million a year.
Yet United would rather re-sign Ronaldo on lower terms, with David De Gea currently the club’s highest-earner on wages of £375,000-a-week.
The Red Devils have given big salaries to the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria in recent years, but neither lived up to expectations.
So with that the case, and the coronavirus crisis likely to impact spending in the transfer window across the globe, United’s stance is certainly understandable.
The report does make clear Ronaldo may change his mind should Juventus fail to qualify for the Champions League.
They’re currently fourth in the table, level on points with AC Milan with five matches to go.
Juventus have practically already surrendered their Serie A crown to Inter Milan and losing Ronaldo would certainly represent a hammer blow.
It is not the first time Ronaldo has been linked with a return to United.
The player himself has never ruled out a second coming, saying in 2014: “Some players I am still in contact with because when I was there I created a good relationship with everybody, not just the players, all the staff around.