As Real Madrid look nailed on to miss out on another Spanish league title, speculation about Cristiano Ronaldo’s future has hit the headlines once again.
The Madrid fans, arguably some of the most deluded in the world, have been giving CR7 ridiculous abuse of late, somehow managing to criticise the Portuguese winger for his form.
Ronaldo has scored 27 goals in La Liga this season – more than Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The 31-year-old seems closer than ever to leaving Spain though, and there will be no shortage of clubs interested in his services should he decide to quit the Santiago Bernabeu.
We’ve compiled a list of five of the most likely destinations for the former Ballon d’Or winner:
PSG
Whenever a top player becomes available, PSG are in with more than a shout.
That’s because they’re funded by Qatari billionaires, who are prepared to do everything they can to win the Champions League.
Add to the fact that they’re losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer, and you’ve got a superstar sized hole in their squad. One that Ronaldo could fill quite easily.
Wages and transfer fee wouldn’t be a problem, but whether Ronaldo would fancy the French league after 13 years of playing in the more competitive English and Spanish leagues is another question.
Ronaldo likes winning things but how far up his agenda would winning a French league title – that PSG usually coast to – be?
MLS
America is a popular destination for ageing footballers, and has became something of an attractive proposition for a late swansong.
The MLS is still trying to establish itself as more than just a money spinning league of once great players, and bringing players like Ronaldo in would only help.
LA Galaxy have a particularly keen interest in big names, and have previously signed David Beckham from Real Madrid, so they have links.
New York could also be a potential destination, as Ronaldo bought a property there in August last year and may fancy a switch to the Big Apple should he leave Spain.
Funded by Manchester City, wages and transfer fee again wouldn’t be a problem for New York City, but Ronaldo’s allegiance with Manchester United may stop him.
China
Seemingly everyone is pissing off to China right now, and it’s mainly for the ridiculous money they’re offering.
Gervinho, Jackson Martinez and Ezequiel Lavezzi have all swapped top European leagues for the latest emerging footballing country, and earned a mint in the process.
Nearly every team is funded by huge businesses, meaning the salaries being offered are eye-watering and Ronaldo’s earnings would be astronomical if he opted for the Far East.
Despite attracting the likes of the above, the Chinese Super League is still on the lookout for marquee names and they don’t come much bigger than Ronaldo.
Whether or not they could tempt him would be another matter, but they’ll certainly stump up the cash if he becomes available.
Sporting CP
Going back to where it all began is always a viable option, and in Ronaldo’s case, it would be Sporting.
Cristiano spent six years at the Portuguese club, before securing a £12m move to Man United after playing against them in a pre-season friendly.
Returning to where some of his family still live would surely tempt the Portugal star, but whether or not Sporting could afford to bring him back to his homeland would be another question.
Seeing as he’s only 31 at the minute, Ronaldo could head somewhere else for a couple of years before Sporting became a more viable option.
Manchester United
This one would get the United fans buzzing.
There’s a decent argument that ever since Ronaldo left Old Trafford, they’ve never properly replaced him.
The current occupier of the number seven shirt, Memphis Depay, cost twice as much as Ronaldo did, was three years older than CR7 when he signed and arguably came from a stronger league.
A United return for Ronaldo would certainly be something that would interest the player, but time is running out.
The increased physical demands may put off English teams wanting to prize him from Madrid, although you’d be hard pushed to find someone who thinks he couldn’t still have an impact.
It’s a long shot, but it’s not an impossibility.
