Cristiano Ronaldo has dropped a huge hint on his future amid the search for a new club. The 37-year-old striker was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea on a number of occasions before he and Manchester United parted company.
As the five-time Ballon d'Or winner set his sights on World Cup glory with Portugal, talk of a move to Stamford Bridge simmered down. But, after Ronaldo's side were knocked out of the tournament by Morocco in the quarter-final, speculation regarding his future has sparked fresh interest.
It's believed that the Portuguese star has received offers from the Middle East and Australia but he’s holding out for a Champions League side. Ronaldo was reportedly earning around £500,000-per-week at Old Trafford but, as it stands, he'll have to heavily reduce his wage demands if order to stay in Europe.
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While a decision is yet to be made, the former United talisman has seemingly taken the first steps to doing just that. According to Spanish outlet Relevo, Ronaldo has returned to Valdebebas, the Real Madrid training complex.
The report states that Los Blancos gave him permission to train on a different field to the one which Carlo Ancelotti uses with the first-team. It's said that Ronaldo looked to return to the Spanish capital in the summer - whether that had been the La Liga champions or Diego Simeone's side - but neither club was interested.
Speaking to Martin Liberman, the Atletico Madrid boss said: "Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible arrival at Atlético de Madrid in the summer? The little birds [journalists] told you anything far from what has happened.
"People speak sometimes to tell what they want to tell, not reality," the Argentinian added. "Ronaldo is an absolute benchmark for Real Madrid."
The Blues sounded out a move for Ronaldo in July, football.london understand. But, a move failed to materialise because Thomas Tuchel was a primary 'roadblock' in negotiations, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs.
For now, it remains to be seen whether Graham Potter is interested in signing the striker because he's kept his cards close to his chest. Speaking ahead of Chelsea's home clash with AC Milan in the Champions League, when links with Ronaldo first began to emerge, he said:
"We can spend all day with these questions, but I'm not going to speak about this. If they are not our players, I am not going to speak to them."
The Mirror reported last month that Chelsea would pursue Ronaldo's signature if United were to cut ties with the veteran. The Red Devils did so but an approach from the Blues remains to be seen.
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