The Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United is officially over. Just a week after the Piers Morgan interview was released of Ronaldo bashing the club for their treatment of him and a lack of development internally, both parties have decided to mutually part ways.
That means the 37-year-old is now allowed to sign with any club he wants in the January transfer window and they won't need to spend a dime on him. But, given his attitude concerns and hefty wages, it could be difficult for Cristiano to find a top-notch side that is competing in the Champions League, which is exactly what Ronaldo desires.
While he didn't get a ton of opportunity to shine for the Red Devils this term, the World Cup is his chance to show everyone that he's still more than capable of banging in goals. If Cristiano does so, there should be lots of interest once the festivities in Qatar conclude.
Without further ado, here are 5 possible destinations for Cristiano Ronaldo, plus an honorable mention.
Honorable Mention
Ronaldo's boyhood club Sporting Lisbon would love to reunite with the striker, but they know he would cost far too much. Again, if he's willing to take less coin, it could be possible. They're a regular in the Champions League. That's what Ronaldo wants.
The MLS is also a possible option, but knowing Cristiano Ronaldo, he is not ready for that step in his career just yet.
It will not be easy for him to find a new club after the Man United saga. But, he is going to land somewhere, whether it be one of these five destinations or elsewhere. And if he stars in Qatar, it'll help Ronaldo's case even more.
5. Al Sadd SC
If Ronaldo isn't willing to take a pay cut, Qatari outfit Al Sadd SC would likely be more than happy to secure his services. The problem is, Ronaldo won't be too keen on leaving Europe's top-five leagues just for a bag of money. The competition in Qatar is far below the elite leagues in the world. Cristiano should at least be able to score a boatload of goals, but his competitive fire wouldn't be fulfilled. That's why this option seems very far-fetched.
4. Arsenal
Piers Morgan is loving this one. He's already expressed his desire on Twitter for Arsenal to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. The Gunners are flying high at the top of the Premier League table right now and producing the goods on both ends of the pitch. They're not exactly in need of another striker, but it's important to note that Gabriel Jesus has hit a bit of a cold spell. The thing is, Ronaldo wants to start. Would he push Jesus to the bench? Everything is working for Mikel Arteta with his current squad. But, if Cristiano flourishes at the World Cup, perhaps he'd be worth a look for the North Londoners.
3. Bayern Munich
The Bundesliga giants are in first place in the German top flight as per usual, with the likes of Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, and Sadio Mane serving as their most important attackers. Mane however is currently injured and hasn't adapted to his new club as easily as some would've hoped after leaving Liverpool last summer. Although Bayern previously said they weren't interested in Cristiano when he was available many months ago, you simply cannot ignore a player of his stature on a free transfer. Germany and France are the only countries he's yet to conquer in his legendary career. Munich is well on its way to another domestic title and bringing in Ronaldo gives them an even better chance in the Champions League knockout stages as well.
2. Chelsea
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly reportedly met with the agent of Cristiano Ronaldo a few months ago about a potential move to Stamford Bridge. The Blues opted to go in a different direction and signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead, who is making little impact in South London. He's scored a mere one Premier League goal. The problem for Chelsea for many years now is their lack of a goal-scorer. This season, Graham Potter's men are way down in eighth place at the moment with only 17 goals in 14 outings. That's just simply unacceptable for a club that is expected to be a lot better. CR7 might be hated by Red Devils fans if he took his talents to the Blues, but he could potentially find his form at The Bridge. There's always the concern of Cristiano disrupting the way Chelsea goes about their business in the final third, but it's clear their current recipe isn't working. They need a spark.
1. Newcastle
The Magpies have Saudi money behind them now. Although the club isn't full of huge names, the additions they've brought in have made a difference. Newcastle is in third spot and just seven points behind Arsenal. Miguel Almiron is their leading scorer with eight goals, while Callum Wilson also has six goals to his name. Newcastle could afford to pay Cristiano Ronaldo a boatload of money and he'd also bring a lot more attention to the Magpies, never mind his quality up top. Eddie Howe's side isn't the youngest team though and likely wants to prioritize youth in order to put them in a good position for the future. Signing Ronaldo would go against that. But with no transfer fee, what is there to lose? It's an option.
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