Picture the scene. It's early September and the floodlights which illuminate Craven Cottage only grow brighter as the sun disappears from view in west London. Chelsea require a goal against Fulham and Reece James has possession down the right. He looks up, crosses, and the ball is thunderously met by the head of Cristiano Ronaldo.
It is pure theatre from there on. Ronaldo bounds toward the corner flag and leaps into the air to produce his trademark celebration. "Suiiii!!" bellow the Chelsea supporters in unison with the Portuguese superstar. It is a moment clipped and shared on social media thousands of times. A goal replayed across the world. A dream come true for many.
Intoxicating, isn't it? The idea of Ronaldo; the possibility of one of the greatest players of all time pulling on a Chelsea shirt week after week after joining from Manchester United. So what that he's 37 years old? So what that the last two teams he's represented have regressed despite his undeniable brilliance? So what if he doesn't fit Thomas Tuchel's system? Just think of the cache – and the marketing opportunities.
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Ronaldo is a gargantuan one-man brand, as proved during his time at Juventus. In the 24 hours after his arrival from Real Madrid was confirmed in 2018, the Serie A club's various social media accounts gained more than 2.2 million followers. And during his three-year stay in Turin, new and lucrative commercial agreements were struck while much-improved sponsorship deals with Adidas and JEEP were negotiated.
It's easy to understand why new Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly would be interested in Ronaldo – and why the Portugal international's future was the topic of debate when the American billionaire met the Manchester United forward's agent, Jorge Mendes, last month, as reported by The Athletic.
Ronaldo is understood to want to leave United less than a year after returning to Old Trafford. His ambition remains to play in the Champions League, to compete for titles at the very highest level of the European game. That is something that is impossible under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United this season. Ronaldo may even be willing to take a pay cut to seal a move away.
The 37-year-old did not return for pre-season training today (Monday) as scheduled. Family reasons were cited and accepted by United, who have no desire to sell the Portuguese star and especially not to a Premier League rival. It will be no simple feat for Chelsea to prise Ronaldo away should they firm up their interest.
What is not yet known is Tuchel's stance. The German coach is, somewhat unsurprisingly, an admirer of Ronaldo and he said last September ahead of Chelsea's Champions League meeting with Juventus: "It’s not a secret that any team in the world without Cristiano is, in some parts of the game, a weaker team because he is one of the greatest ever players. They lost a big champion, a big reference, and a big personality."
However, it's important – and very much worth noting – what the Chelsea boss added moments later: "But you can win games and be a strong team without Cristiano Ronaldo. This is also a truth."
Under Tuchel, Chelsea have won the biggest prize in European football. Other trophies have been collected too. Yet in the Premier League, they are well behind Man City and Liverpool. Investment in the first-team squad is required this summer, and signings will be made under Boehly's watch. Yet all must sync with the German's tactical ideas. Ronaldo simply does not.
Given his age – and despite his incredible physical condition – Ronaldo can't undertake the pressing work Tuchel demands of his forwards. That was made clear last season as per FBRef, the Portuguese attempted just 6.54 pressures per 90 minutes in the Premier League, a figure bettered by 99% of forwards across European football's top five divisions.
For further context, Romelu Lukaku, who rejoined Inter Milan on loan this summer less than a year after returning to Stamford Bridge for a club-record £97.5million, averaged 11.13 pressures per 90 in the top flight last term. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, averaged 18.59 pressures per 90 and ended the campaign as Tuchel's first-choice forward.
Much of the work Havertz does off the ball is selfless and can go unnoticed – although not by the 23-year-old's teammates. The ground he covers in matches is immense and while he doesn't yet possess the same reliable penalty-box threat as Ronaldo, Havertz's non-penalty expected goals last season of 0.48 per 90 was an improvement on that of the season prior (0.37).
And it shouldn't be overlooked that the German is also far more involved in moving possession forward than Ronaldo. The Portuguese averaged 1.83 progressive passes per 90 last term compared to Havertz's 2.28 and completed marginally fewer progressive carries (5.14 to 5.40).
“What he gives us is huge volume," said Tuchel in March. "He covers a lot of metres, he covers a lot of metres in high intensity, and he finds the intensity no matter what the system the opponent defends against us. He finds intensive runs, he finds distances. This is what makes him and he is using his body more and more. He loves to create overloads and half-spaces and this is what he gives us."
Ronaldo would not contribute as much to Chelsea's game as Havertz, there is little doubt of that. There would be goals – as there always are with the Portuguese star – but he would have to be catered for, to be covered for his lack of off-the-ball work. And that is something Tuchel stated last season should not happen, something which Boehly may need to be told.
"It is a team sport," said the Chelsea head coach. "It is not about ten players serving one player. It is not Chelsea and is not football."
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