Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has dismissed the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo joining the club amid suggestions Joao Felix could move the opposite way.
Ronaldo, 37, has been intent on departing United for the past four months after his high-profile return from Juventus last year did not go to plan. Despite netting 24 goals across all competitions last season, United's collective form nosedived, and they finished a distant sixth in the Premier League.
The Portuguese superstar was left "upset" at seeing his pay slashed at Man United after each member of the squad was hit with a 25 per cent cut to their weekly wage due to the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League. Yet Ronaldo was unable to secure an exit, with no side willing to meet his wage demands and guarantee him regular football.
Atletico had been a surprise viable destination for the striker, despite their fans protesting this summer against the possible signing. It was believed that Simeone would love for the club to land a player he has always greatly admired. It would share similarities with the club signing Luis Suarez – the Uruguayan joined from Barcelona in 2020 and subsequently fired Simeone’s side to the league title in his debut season.
However, Simeone has referenced how Ronaldo’s links to city rivals Real Madrid – where he netted a scarcely believable 450 goals in just 438 appearances, a club record – would be too big a stumbling block to make the transfer a realistic one for any of the parties involved.
“He is an absolute benchmark for Real Madrid, you would not see it,” Simeone is quoted as saying by Diario AS, in quotes carried by Sport Witness. “You would not see Palermo playing at River; he would not see Riquelme at River, you would not see Ortega at Boca… There are situations that are very clear.”
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Simeone continued: “I remember that in preseason a fan yelled a great phrase at me: ‘Cholo, be careful, the Champions League is not at all costs’. And I liked it, it’s a very healthy reflection, from the neighbourhood, from the team, from the fan, from the heart.”
Forward Felix, who has been linked with a possible future switch to Old Trafford, joined Atleti in a £113million transfer from Benfica in 2019, has reportedly fallen out with Simeone and could be on the move at the earliest possible opportunity. Reports from Portugal say Felix has been “bullied” by Simeone and the situation came to a head when he was left on the bench for Atleti's recent Champions League game against Club Brugge.
United football director John Murtough poured cold water on the idea that there will be first-team movements in or out of the club this winter, but that position could change should they be able to offload their highest-earning player – who has fallen out of favour under United boss Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo sat out six successive Premier League line-ups for United before being restored to the starting XI for the recent draw at home to Newcastle – but that was with Anthony Martial out injured and Marcus Rashford being unavailable to start due to illness.
