Cristiano Ronaldo and Piers Morgan have been involved in a private dialogue while the Manchester United superstar's future remains unclear.
The Portuguese returned to Old Trafford less than 12 months ago but has already made it known he wants out. Ronaldo was unable to stop the Red Devils sliding down the table, eventually seeing them finish in sixth which means no Champions League football.
It doesn't look like Ronaldo wants to be part of Erik ten Hag's rebuild and he has been considering his options, although there are not many doors opening for the 37-year-old. Morgan has previously interviewed Ronaldo on a number of occasions and believes he is the best player to ever play the game - something he's been very vocal about on social media.
The pair have remained in contact and the broadcaster has given some clues as to what the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is thinking about his next move and his current employer.
Unlikely he plays for United again
Ronaldo is currently the headline absentee from United's pre-season tour. He cited a family issue as his reason for missing the trip across the globe but his absence has not stopped the questions coming in. Morgan doesn't envisage the 37-year-old pulling on the club's shirt again
“I have had quite a lot of contact in the last week. I certainly think it’d be highly unlikely if Cristiano Ronaldo plays another game for Manchester United,” he told talkSPORT.
The club will want the issue resolved before the season begins, although they've made it clear they expect Ronaldo to see out his contract whilst also being open to acceptable offers. It would leave a hole in the forward line and sooner or later Ten Hag needs to know whether or not it needs filling.
No ambition?
Ronaldo's drive is well documented. His relentless pursuit of perfection has ensured he remains a top performer despite closing in on his 40s. It is a team sport, but Ronaldo has always sought to use his individual drive to push his team on.
Currently at United they cannot challenge Liverpool or Manchester City and there appears a quiet acceptance that, for now, they cannot compete. Their silverware drought dates back to 2017 and they haven't made inroads in the Champions League for some time.
Ronaldo apparently feels that he and the Red Devils don't share the same expectations. Morgan claimed: “I’m not going to say what we’ve said to each other but like I said from the start I don’t think Cristiano feels Manchester United share his ambitions.
Wrong structure
In the past Ronaldo has dealt with huge individuals. Be it Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill at United or Florentino Perez at Real Madrid. Much has been made of the men making the decisions at Old Trafford currently, with their track records and history leaving a lot to be desired.
The off pitch issues have certainly filtered down and a lack of decisiveness has been evident in their transfer activity, with few deals getting done with any conviction. Morgan said: “I think he feels the club structure from the top down isn’t right. It’s not a reflection on the new manager [Erik ten Hag], he’s got a lot of respect for him, but it’s just an accurate reflection of where United are right now.
A surprising destination
Finding a buyer has proved a tough task for Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes. For the second summer he is trying to move his client on but the market seems to be shrinking. The player's age and wage demands do not help and may mean he makes a left field decision.
A return to Sporting Lisbon has been touted, and is something his mother backs, but the club may struggle to meet his financial needs. Napoli were also linked which would take Ronaldo back to Italy. Ronaldo wants to remain in Europe which all but rules out an MLS switch.
“It’s for him to say what he feels but if you’re asking me then I don’t think he’s going to stay at Manchester United. I think he could end up somewhere quite surprising," claimed Morgan.
Ronaldo to the Emirates
The dream scenario for Morgan - his favourite player at his own club. Arsenal have been on the receiving end of Ronaldo's brilliance across his two spells in Manchester. The Gunners have added Gabriel Jesus as their new no 9 this summer but the broadcaster still wants to get Ronaldo to north London.
His style would appear to be at odds with the philosophy being implemented by Mikel Arteta, not that it would be any issue for Morgan, who simply wants the player at the Emirates.
He said: “Arsenal fans listening should know I’m doing everything in my power to try and persuade him to come to Arsenal.”
