Manchester United are plotting a sensational swoop for the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford from Al-Nassr, according to Fichajes.
After his 236th Premier League appearance, Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford came to an abrupt close at the end of 2022, when his deal was terminated by mutual agreement.
United were left with little alternative after the forward publicly criticised then-manager Erik ten Hag, the Glazer ownership, and a number of club icons during a highly publicised interview with Piers Morgan.
Soon after his Old Trafford exit, Ronaldo completed a switch to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr. While he has continued to hit notable goalscoring milestones like his 21 goal contributions in 22 games this season, the move has not delivered the level of accolades for a player of his calibre.
Although he chose to extend his stay with Al-Alami last season, tensions have resurfaced in recent days. Reports suggest the forward declined to feature in Monday’s narrow 1-0 victory over Al-Riyadh.
The Portuguese is believed to be reportedly frustrated with the club’s hierarchy over limited activity in the transfer market, sparking fresh speculation that his time in Saudi Arabia could be nearing an end.
Sensational swoop
As a result, Man Utd are now plotting a sensational swoop to sign Ronaldo, who has a £43m release clause, according to Fichajes, which claims that the Red Devils have held formal talks to re-sign the 40-year-old.
The 13-time Premier League champions believe his fallout was with Ten Hag, who has now left the club, with United now ‘progressing’ in talks with his entourage to discuss his possible return to Old Trafford, according to the report.
In a boost to the Red Devils, Fichajes adds that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner favours a move to United, where he intends to end his career and is willing to take a significant pay cut to join the club ahead of other interested clubs in Major League Soccer.
United had a quiet winter transfer window despite an outstanding start to life as interim boss for Michael Carrick, who has recorded three consecutive wins since being appointed.
Attention will now shift toward the summer window, where recruitment will be key, particularly with Casemiro and Joshua Zirkzee tipped to depart the club, prompting the need for viable replacements.
