Barcelona’s five-word response to the reports of Cristiano Ronaldo transfer talks
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is not ruling out the possibility of signing Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
The five-time Ballon d’Or recipient has been strongly linked with a move away from Old Trafford after the Red Devils failed to secure a top four Premier League finish. If he remains at Old Trafford it will mean no Champions League football in Ronaldo’s immediate future. He’s been an ever-present in the competition since originally joining United from boyhood club Sporting in summer 2003.
United’s fellow super clubs Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have been mentioned as potential destinations. However it’s unlikely he will be joining Bayern, especially if they retain the services of Robert Lewandowski who Barça are reportedly keen to sign, and the mere fact he doesn’t fit the club’s vision. “As much as I appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest [footballers ever], a transfer would not fit into our philosophy,” Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn told told Kicker.
Elsewhere the Catalan giants are seeking defensive recruits with Sevilla centre-back Jules Koundé top of their list. His agent Jorge Mendes, who also happens to be Ronaldo’s adviser, recently met up with Laporta thus driving the idea of Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer potentially joining their eternal rivals. Laporta, while addressing the media during Franck Kessié’s unveiling, wouldn’t reveal the content of their conversation but did not dismiss the idea.
“I had dinner on Monday with Jorge Mendes and we talked about the market in general. Cristiano? I cannot rule anyone out. I’m not going to talk about the players who came out of the meeting, but it’s always interesting to know how some names are on the market,” he told reporters.
“I’m not going to talk about players in one way or another, it could be misunderstood. It doesn’t contribute anything to the interests of Barca. We have to respect the players who have contracts with other teams.”
