Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be on his way back to Man United, says Tom McDermott
The 32-year-old is the ultimate big-game player, who despite his age, would be a phenomenal addition to any side were he to leave Madrid.
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In recent years we’ve seen him tinker with his game too, leaving the step overs and penetrating runs from wide behind, and reinventing himself, quite simply, as the best No9 in the world.
Real recognised this last September, and rewarded him with a new £365,000 per week contract extension, tying him to the Santiago Bernabeu until at least 2021.
That is unless you were prepared to pay the £1billion buyout clause.
It’s been a stellar 12 months for Ronaldo, his finest in the game.
Earlier this month, in the 4-1 Champions League final win against Juventus, he scored twice to claim his third Champions League winners medal in the last four seasons.
This followed his Euro 2016 success with Portugal last summer, and the La Liga title in May.
Unsurprisingly he’s odds-on with the bookmakers to add the 2017 Ballon d'Or trophy to his 2016 one.
But, it wouldn’t be Ronaldo without a tantrum.
Before making his way to the Confederations Cup, he reportedly instructed agent Jorge Mendes to find him a new team because Real failed to back him after being accused of evading of £12.9m in tax between 2011 and 2014.
Ah, the toys were most certainly out and suddenly he was unhappy with everyone.
The authorities, the fans, his club. Everyone.
As sure as night follows day, it only took a matter of Twitter minutes for Ronaldo to be linked with a move back ‘home’ to United, but it’s a move that in all honestly, was never going to materialise, and here’s why…
Firstly, Ronaldo has previous form with United having fluttered his eyelashes towards David Moyes in 2013, only to remain in Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a third Champions League win in four years
It’s also likely in this instance he wants something to happen regarding the tax issue and/or a new contract.
It’s a problem that he and Mendes could probably resolve relatively quickly with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Anyone remember Sergio Ramos?
Then there’s agent Mendes, the man himself, who not only has Ronaldo on his books but also United manager Jose Mourinho.
Do you honestly think that Mourinho and United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward - who has negotiated with Mendes before - suddenly felt the need to rip up the list of transfer targets they were working on and focus on Ronaldo?
Unlike under Moyes and Louis van Gaal, United have a manager who won’t be led down the garden path chasing a wild goose until deadline day.
Cristiano Ronaldo 'would only consider Manchester United in Premier League'
Because of the relationship Woodward, Mourinho and Mendes already have in place, you’d imagine that a conversation between the three about Ronaldo was done and dusted within a matter of minutes.
And from a United point of view the decision to move on isn’t a problem.
United fans should be relaxed this summer in the knowledge that Mourinho’s transfer targets will have been selected because of what they can bring to the team and because of their ability to accept his tactical demands.
I’m not suggesting for a minute that Ronaldo doesn’t possess this type of understanding, after all, he enjoyed success under Mourinho at Real.
But Mourinho is a manager now who normally gets what he wants during the summer transfer window and in his second year in charge at a club usually delivers even more success than the first.
Ronaldo, or not, United are in good hands.
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