Cristiano Ronaldo is still looking for a way out at Manchester United after announcing he wants to leave for a club competing in the Champions League this season.
And an option may have just become available to him with Atletico Madrid - despite the club's president Enrique Cerezo previously labelling a move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner as "practically impossible".
Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes met with Erik ten Hag on Tuesday to find a solution to the current situation, but the problem remains unsolved with the Portugal international still wanting to leave and United unprepared to let him do so.
One issue facing Ronaldo is finding a club that is prepared to pay his extortionate wages and that can also offer him Champions League football. Bayern Munich have already ruled themselves out of the race for the 37-year-old, while Real Madrid are not interested in re-signing their club icon.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid chief Cerezo previously told reporters that they won't be making a bid for Ronaldo.
"I've already said this several times, I don't know who invented the Cristiano story but I'll tell you that it's practically impossible that he comes to Atletico de Madrid," Cerezo said via El Partidazo De Cope.
"Rumours are rumours and they have to stay as rumours. If you keep on fuelling the rumours then eventually it will look like it's something real, which it's not."
But Atletico Madrid may just change their tune on Ronaldo following a report in Confidencial Digital that they've sold the fewest amount of shirts this summer in their history.
A club source told the publication that "sales have fallen by 40 per cent compared to last year's data" as inflation increases across Europe and fans continue to feel the financial strain of supporting their team.
While Ronaldo is not an obvious answer to this problem for Atletico, the Portugual international helps generate an incredible amount of revenue for whichever club he represents.
As reported by The Athletic, Juventus saw their commercial revenue increase by £27million in a season from £123m before Ronaldo signed to £150m the following campaign.
The club's kit supplier deal with Adidas also jumped by £24m from £19.8m to £43.8m, while the sponsorship deal with Jeep increased by £24.5m from £14.5m to £39m during Ronaldo's time in Italy.
Man United have also started to reap the benefits of Ronaldo returning to Old Trafford, with revenues growing £34.5m from £118.3m to £152.8m and commercial revenue growing £7.5m from £58.1m to £65.6m.
Ronaldo also held the record for most shirt sales in Italy on a single day when he joined Juventus before this feat was very recently broken by Paulo Dybala signing for Roma.
While United remain determined to keep Ronaldo this summer they are open to the idea of allowing him to leave on loan for the season - an option that surprised the 37-year-old.
United have the option of extending Ronaldo's two-year deal for another season and it seems Ten Hag is keen to take up this option next summer one he's guided the Red Devils back to the Champions League.
