Has Cristiano Ronaldo issued an official come-and-get me plea? The Real Madrid forward on Thursday posted an astonishing tweet on his Twitter page that said, simply: “Allnews about my renewal with Real Madrid are false.” The Portugal captain’s statement directly contradicted Real President Florentino Perez, who a few days earlier said thathe was certain Ronaldo would finish his career with Los Blancos.
However, ESPN reports that behind the scenes, Manchester United is finalizing a package worth $117 million to bring Ronaldoback to Old Trafford. While that might be fully $16 million less than what Monaco is prepared to spend, United hopes that it can play on Ronaldo’s emotional connection to the club. The deal isalso understood to have the backing of sponsors Nike and Chevrolet, who in turn have devoted resources exclusively to sealing Ronaldo’s return. According to the report, United CEO DavidGill is also now working on the project.
Ronaldo’s history with United may be its trump card, but both Monaco and PSG can always pay more, and both clubs have been in contactwith the player’s representatives. Monaco, for example, is prepared to make the Portuguese the richest player on the planet, with a weekly salary of close to $516,000. That said, hewouldn’t be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season if he signs with Monaco.