Which Clubs Could Afford to Sign Cristiano Ronaldo In 2020
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest football players of all time. A global icon with an endless list of accomplishments behind him, there's very little left for the Portuguese legend to achieve.
Yet despite this, Ronaldo's drive is as great as ever. He made a surprising switch to Juventus two years ago, winning the Serie A title in his first season alongside the Most Valuable Player award.
Now at the age of 35, there is talk that Ronaldo could be ready to move to a new club. Rumours suggest Juventus may need to make financial cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic, while his advanced years mean he doesn't have much time left to find a new challenge.
Moving clubs: The reality
Yet if he did move, who could actually afford Ronaldo? They'll still be a considerable transfer fee involved despite his age. Plus, there's also his sky-high wages to take into account. As revealed by CashLady and their analysis of the richest sportspeople, Ronaldo is the biggest earner in football right now.
However, there are still clubs out there who can come up with the finances to cover the bill.
Paris Saint-Germain
It's no secret that Paris Saint-Germain has been long-time admirers of Ronaldo. It's also no secret they're one of the biggest financial powerhouses in world football. With Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, PSG are responsible for the two most expensive transfers of all time.
Whether Ronaldo thinks Ligue 1 is worth his time is another matter.
Real Madrid
Could Ronaldo make a shock return to Real Madrid? Even though he has won everything possible at Madrid, there's a reason why he spent nine seasons at Los Blancos. He may feel it's the best place to showcase his talents, and Madrid have the finances to make it happen.
If he's willing to return to a previous club, you can't rule Manchester United out of the equation either.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich is one of the biggest teams in Europe for a reason: they're a continual success and always bring in world-class talent. Their front line already features the formidable Robert Lewandowski, so some may feel Ronaldo isn't a necessary purchase. Yet if he becomes available, Bayern are not going to turn down the opportunity to sign him!
The wildcard option: the MLS
At least, it's not that much of a wildcard these days. Many major football stars have signed up for the MLS during the latter stages of their career. In recent years, the trend first began with David Beckham making the move. Then other big names like Thierry Henry, Kaka, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic hopped over to the United States.
Former Man United teammate Nani recently revealed Ronaldo has talked about moving to America at some point. Speaking to ESPN, Nani stated: "A couple of years ago, he told me that he will probably end up in America."
As of right now, Ronaldo is contracted to remain in Turin until 2022. It's yet to be seen if he'll actually see out his last two years with Juventus. If he does make the move, there will be plenty of suitors looking to sign him up.
