Portugal national team coach Phil Scolari has urged Ronaldo to join Barcelona, as he reckons the Manchester United winger must quit Old Trafford this summer to improve.
For me that’s rubbish. Manchester United are playing as a great team, and have experience stars like Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs to learn from; while young guns like Wayne Rooney will provide the friendly ‘rivalry’ for Ronaldo to improve himself.
Sure Barcelona have lots of great players too like Ronaldinho and Deco, but Manchester United are nothing short of the Spanish giant.
Also, English Premier League is probably more competitive than Spanish La Liga. I can’t see the need for a player to switch from EPL to La Liga for the sake of ‘improvement’.
Manchester City’s prospective new owners are weighing up a staggering £135 million offer for Cristiano Ronaldo in January as the club attempt to topple the established elite of European football.
Having lived in the shadow of Manchester United for so long, City could be about to test the resolve of their fierce rivals with an offer that would obliterate the world transfer record and send shock waves through the sport and beyond.
The extraordinary revelations come as the ruling al-Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi moves closer to completing a £200 million buyout of City from Thaksin Shinawatra.
To put it into context, £135 million is more than twice United’s operating profits for the 2006-07 season, more than double the amount that Randy Lerner paid for Aston Villa two years ago and almost three times the world record transfer fee of £47.5 million that Juventus received from Real for Zinédine Zidane in 2001.
[Source]
Cristiano Ronaldo thinks Manchester United will have a difficult task overcoming Chelsea next season with Luiz Felipe Scolari at the helm.
The Brazilian will take charge at Stamford Bridge after he has finished his duties with Portugal at Euro 2008.
And Ronaldo, who is under Scolari’s charge in Austria and Switzerland, is tipping his boss to have a big impact on the Premier League.
“Scolari gives his players the ambition to play attractive, attacking football. He is a great man, a great coach,” Ronaldo told The People.
“With him at Chelsea, it is going to be difficult for United.”
Ronaldo is fully behind Scolari’s decision to quit his role with Portugal.
“He needs to look after his future and I respect that. If you have better conditions, better things for his family and himself, I respect that he should go.”
[Source]
Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted he will consider his Manchester United future after the Champions League final and would be tempted by a move to Real Madrid.
The Portuguese winger has become one of the hottest properties in world football after scoring 41 goals this season to help United retain their Premier League title and reach the Champions League showpiece.
Madrid have consistently voiced their interest in the 23-year-old and reports have suggested they would be prepared to part with around £100million.
Ahead of next Wednesday’s meeting with Chelsea in Moscow, Ronaldo told Spanish TV network Antena 3: ‘I am happy here but let’s see what happens after the Champions League final.
‘I am feeling calm here. I’m happy but in the future I don’t know. I know Real Madrid like how I play and I know that other teams in Spain like my game as well, so that’s good.
‘It is good to know that other clubs are interested in you. I have said millions of times that I would love to play in Spain.’
[Soccernet]
Cristiano Ronaldo won the treble at United’s end of season awards, just hours after the Reds wrapped up the Barclays Premier League title with a thrilling win at Wigan.
Victory at the JJB Stadium made for an electric atmosphere at the Old Trafford party, where individual players at senior, reserve and academy level were rewarded for their efforts.
Ronaldo retained the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year gongs – and added the Goal of the Season award to his collection.
The Portuguese winger actually occupied the top two spots in the Goal of the Season award, taking first place with his stunning free kick against Portsmouth and second for his impudent backheel against Aston Villa.
The treble completes a remarkable campaign for Ronaldo, who earlier this month retained the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Season awards for his exertions.
[Manutd]