It has been over a decade since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United to join Real Madrid. A lot has happened in world football in that space of time. But the rumours linking the Portuguese superstar with a return to Old Trafford have never quite gone away.
Most people would have expected Ronaldo to return to the Theatre of Dreams if he ever left Real Madrid. He ended up joining Juventus in 2018 though.
It is safe to say that Ronaldo’s time with the Italian club has not gone as most would have expected. He was believed to be the final piece of the jigsaw, who would guide them to the UEFA Champions League title. That has not happened though. Instead, Juventus have appeared to take a step back in Europe and finished fourth in Serie A last season.
There have been a lot of rumours about Ronaldo potentially leaving the club and he has not started Juventus’ game against Udinese. Fabrizio Romano tweeted out regarding the situation:
"He’s NOT starting – it was a precise request from Cristiano because he hopes to find a solution on the market in the next days.But Juventus have received NO official bids yet for Cristiano."
More from Manchester United News
- Aaron Wan Bissaka out for ‘several weeks’ with injury
- Sofyan Amrabat set to miss game against Brighton
- Preview: Manchester United vs Brighton – What you need to know
- Jadon Sancho set to train away from first team squad
- Mike Phelan blasts Manchester United teammates over Ronaldo exit
Could a Manchester United return still be on the cards for Ronaldo?
The Red Devils have made some brilliant additions to their squad this summer. But a Ronaldo return could top it all. But does it make sense for the club at this point of time?
There is no doubting the fact that Ronaldo is still a great goal scorer. But it is hard to see where he would fit into this Manchester United team long-term. At the end of the day, he is 36 years of age now.
A Ronaldo return, even back in 2018, might have made a lot of sense. But the same most probably cannot be said now. The Red Devils have a very young squad at the moment and it is hard not to feel that Ronaldo does not quite fit into the picture.
Recent rumours do suggest that if Ronaldo was to leave Juventus, then Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid might be his most likely destination, depending upon what the future holds for Kylian Mbappe.