Cristiano Ronaldo may seal a sensational return to Manchester United this summer as part of a swap deal which would see Paul Pogba re-join Juventus, according to a report in Italy.
Superstar Ronaldo’s future in Turin is uncertain despite the club clinching Champions League football and winning two trophies, and Juventus are said to be open to including him in an exchange.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that both players could reunite with their former clubs, although Ronaldo would need to lower his hefty salary demands and United may even ask for cash from Juventus, too.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba could be included in a star-studded swap deal this summer
Massimiliano Allegri has taken up his old role in the hotseat at the Allianz Stadium after the axe was wielded on Andrea Pirlo – and the new boss is said to have not waved away the prospect of letting Ronaldo leave.
As a result, United and Paris Saint-Germain are the two clubs that currently appear able to broker a deal for him, with Ronaldo reportedly earmarked by the latter as the perfect replacement for Kylian Mbappe.
However, despite Juventus’ apparent interest in bringing back Pogba, it is unclear whether United will even entertain any potential advances for the mercurial midfielder.
Pogba’s Manchester United future is uncertain and a return to Juventus could be on the cards
Ronaldo earns just shy of £500,000-a-week in Italy and it is certain that, as the report says, he would have to accept a drastically lower salary package at Old Trafford for any switch to happen.
And as a result of the uncertainty over the situation involving United and Ronaldo, PSG may step in.
The same outlet believe that Ronaldo is the prime candidate to fill the void potentially left behind by Mbappe. The young ace’s contract in Paris runs down in 2022 and an agreement over an extension has not yet been reached.
Mbappe has insisted that the future project at the Parc des Princes will be pivotal over his decision to stay, and his ambitions to win the Champions League were also laid bare.
PSG are said to have identified Ronaldo as the perfect replacement for Kylian Mbappe (above)
The 22-year-old was named Ligue 1’s top scorer last weekend, having finished with 27 goals, but PSG were not able to retain their crown after being pipped to top spot by underdogs Lille by just one point.
Having joined PSG in 2017 from Monaco for an eye-watering £163million, Mbappe has starred and caught the eye of Real Madrid, as well as a number of clubs in the Premier League.
His failure to taste success on the European stage could see him decide to leave – and Ronaldo, who is said to be just as unsettled, appears the perfect replacement for him.
Ronaldo’s contract at Juventus also expires next year and, with time rapidly ticking down on his stay at the club, speculation is mounting that he is unhappy and would be open to leaving.
Ronaldo won two trophies with Juventus this season but is said to feel unhappy at the club
PSG forward Icardi has also been linked with a swap deal for Ronaldo by the same outlet, although there have been no official talks. The former, meanwhile, insisted recently that his future ‘is at PSG’.
Ronaldo, perhaps inadvertently, added fuel to the rumours around his Juventus career after posting a lengthy, cryptic statement on social media at the end of the campaign.
His fleet of luxury super cars was seen being transported away from his mansion in the dead of night, and Ronaldo is set for showdown talks for the club, which may see him look for a new adventure.
As for Pogba, his future is also mired in uncertainty after United’s Europa League defeat by Villarreal. Having been taken off before the penalty shootout, he watched on as David de Gea’s spot-kick was saved.
Ronaldo was benched for Juventus’ season finale against Bologna in what may be his last game
Before the Gdansk showdown, his older brother Mathias sensationally called for him to leave United and join Barcelona.
‘Once he (Paul) wins the Europa League, then we will talk (about his future),’ Mathias told Spanish TV show El Chiringuito.
He went on to add: ‘I don’t know anything but I’m with you, I would sign tomorrow if that was the question. Hopefully he will sign for Barca.’