It is not a search for a supporting cast, with Ronaldo’s tendency to provide assists directly or as a result of his movement a too often overlooked part of his game. Rather, Real Madrid must find stars who can exist on equal billing with Ronaldo. Although Lionel Messi has been a dominant force at Barcelona, his partnership of equals (or near equals) with Luis Suarez and Neymar delivered a frontline of formidable nature. Gareth Bale’s injury concerns have blighted his progress, Isco remains unfairly unfancied as a regular starter and Karim Benzema is anonymous on too many occasions.

Step forward, Mohamed Salah? The Egyptian attacker is enjoying a season of unprecedented success with Liverpool, breaking a multitude of goalscoring records. While Salah had shown a great deal of promise earlier in his career and established himself as a livewire forward with Roma, few could have anticipated his consistently brilliant performances in Liverpool red. Barney Ronay with The Guardian is one of many commentators who has admitted that they misjudged just how successful Salah could be. On many occasions, he has been the difference between winning and losing, a burden that Ronaldo knows all too well from his career.

Could Salah be receiving passes from Ronaldo next season? Source: Liverpool FC via Facebook.

While Salah will be keen to prove that this season at Anfield is not an anomaly and that his burgeoning relationship with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane can match any attacking trio in the game, he will be conscious that the top players are ultimately judged on their trophies. Liverpool can be devastatingly effective, but they are a world away from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City; odds of 275/1 with Sportsbet.io to take the Premier League title in this campaign are an indictment of the chasm between City and the contenders. Guardiola is someone who has a reputation for building legacies, something else that Ronaldo knows all too well. A Liverpool team that calls Jordan Henderson a regular part of its midfield is not going to bridge that gap anytime soon.

Salah’s success inevitably has the big clubs calling, even though he only has one season of world-class form; he is already being linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona by The Telegraph, and Madrid cannot afford to let the attacker join their rivals. Now may be the most propitious time for Real Madrid to swoop for an attacker to dovetail with Ronaldo. Another season of success and Salah’s price tag will soar, while a season of relative indifference could mean that Jurgen Klopp has failed to create the necessary circumstances for Salah to thrive. Those circumstances would be undeniably improved by playing alongside Ronaldo; both have the ability to be selfless, and both terrify defenders. The defence may think they have a handle on one threat, but that will create space for the other to break free.

Ronaldo has intelligently adapted his game to his age, but one thing that will inevitably continue to decline is that once blistering pace. Salah has pace to burn and can do the running for Ronaldo, while Ronaldo’s movement can create space for the Egyptian forward who loves to drive into the space of the conventional number nine as much as he loves wingplay. While Ronaldo has shown no sign of relenting, he will be aware that his remaining time at the top is diminishing. The age of Ronaldo and Messi will soon pass for both players, and to the immense sadness of the footballing world. But Ronaldo still has a keen ferocity to succeed, and a signing of the calibre of Salah will help Real Madrid banish the less desirable memories of this season and strive for new heights. When Ronaldo finally does call it a day, a player like Salah could be a worthy candidate to become the new star synonymous with Real Madrid.

The post Ronaldo and Salah Could Join Forces Next Season first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

That’s according to reports in the Spanish media this weekend, which claim the Portuguese superstar has held talks with Los Blancos president Florentino Perez over his side’s end-of-season transfer plans.

After winning the Champions League and La Liga last term, Real have had a woeful campaign this term, currently sitting in fourth position in the league table; some 20 points behind runaway leaders and arch-rivals Barcelona. As a result, a large-scale overhaul of their playing squad has been anticipated by pundits.

Real president ‘obsessed’ with Kane

Top of Perez’s list of targets is purported to be England forward Kane, who has been in sensational form again this season, finding the net 33 times in 34 games in all competitions for Spurs and once again leading the Premier League top scoring charts. Spanish outlet Don Balon claim Perez is “obsessed” with the 24-year-old, with the 23-times-capped England international thought to be keen to move to a club with the ambition of Real.

It is believed that no fee has yet been discussed with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, although it has been claimed that former Spurs player Gareth Bale could be used as leverage in any potential move. Some reports have even gone so far as to claim Kane has already agreed to personal terms with Madrid, with some of the top ten betting sites having the 6’2″ striker at odds as short as 7/2 to be plying his trade at the Santiago Bernabeu next season.

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Ronaldo: Perez always gets his man

For his part, Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be extremely confident that Kane will be his Real teammate come the end of the summer, attributing this to the determination of Perez to always get what he wants. The 33-year-old is no stranger to the negotiating prowess of the charismatic businessman, with his own future coming under intense speculation in recent months.

With Real fearing losing their marquee player to the Premier League after a miserable loss of form and tension with the club’s hierarchy, it is thought that Perez has made a number of concessions to the Portugal captain – including allowing him to have his say on his side’s summer transfer dealings. In addition to being high on the idea of playing alongside Kane, Diario Gol reports that Ronaldo has urged Perez to sell teammate Isco, amidst rumours of a spat between the two out-of-sorts teammates.

Isco to Liverpool?

Like Ronaldo, attacking midfielder Isco has struggled with consistency this term, and has himself been linked with a number of Premier League sides. Manchester United were thought to be the most likely destination for the 25-year-old, but with Jose Mourinho claiming he does not want to strengthen his side’s attack, The Mirror claim that Liverpool could be amongst the favourites to secure the Spanish international’s signature as they continue to look to replace Philippe Coutinho.

Whichever moves end up transpiring, it is almost certain Real Madrid will have a vastly different-looking side take to the pitch last season as they look to reassert their dominance over Spanish football.

The post Ronaldo Confident Real Will Sign Harry Kane This Summer first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

These latest claims – that all-time Los Blancos top scorer Ronaldo, 32, is free to negotiate a move away from the Bernabeu – have put some long-time suitors of the Portugal national captain on red alert.

Sources in the Spanish capital suggest Real president Florentino Perez will be looking to get as much money as possible in any potential Ronaldo transfer. The release clause in Ronaldo’s current contract is widely reported as €1 billion; however, a compromise on the fee is likely if he leaves Madrid.

Recent transfer dealings involving Neymar’s move to Paris St-Germain and Lionel Messi signing a new contract with Barcelona have left Ronaldo’s basic salary behind the superstar South American duo. As a result of that and reports that his relationship with Perez has become strained by Real going back on an agreement to improve his financial terms, Ronaldo is thought to be unhappy in Madrid.

Although he continues to be prolific in the Champions League – a competition Ronaldo has fired Los Blancos to glory in during the last two seasons – his form in La Liga has dipped considerably this term. Ronaldo also recognises his commercial value to Madrid with his status as Real’s premier Galactico undiminished since arriving in Spain in 2009.

“I’m the best player in history,” Ronaldo said in a recent interview. “I respect everyone’s preferences, but I’ve never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There are guys who prefer Neymar or Messi, but I tell you there’s no player more complete than me. I play well with both feet, I’m quick, powerful, score goals [and] make assists.”

Ronaldo’s contract at the Bernabeu expires in 2021 but whether he will leave before or after the World Cup in Russia, an event Oddschecker believes will give plenty of youngsters time to shine, including emerging English talent Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund and Spurs youngster Harry Winks, remains to be seen.

If the need to replace him arises, then Perez has used the hype surrounding major tournaments to make marquee signings in the immediate aftermath of them before. Colombia star James Rodriguez – loaned out by Los Blancos to Bayern Munich for this and next season last summer – is a notable example of that.

It’s the usual suspects linked with Ronaldo off the back of these latest reports; former club Manchester United (managed by one-time Bernabeu boss Jose Mourinho) and Paris St-Germain. The Red Devils could certainly use a proven Premier League performer to help them bridge the gap opened up by local rivals Manchester City.

PSG, meanwhile, easily have the financial backing to make a Ronaldo transfer possible, but is the Parc des Princes a stage big enough for both Neymar and him? Since Qatar Sports Investments acquired the Parisian club in 2012, they have lured other stars of world football including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani to the French capital.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Free to Leave Real Madrid in the Summer? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

Ronaldo came in at number 49 on the list, behind the likes of Anthony Martial of Manchester United and Nicolas Otamendi of Man City, while he is one place above Fabinho of Monaco.

Neymar came out on top of the list of the most valuable footballers, which was named by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) Football Observatory. Lionel Messi came in second, with Tottenham star Harry Kane third.

Neymar of PSG was given an estimated value of €213 million, while Messi is rated at €202.2 million and Kane at €194.7 million.

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Other players in the top ten include Dele Alli (€171.3 million), Kevin De Bruyne (€167.3 million), Romelu Lukaku (€164.8 million) and Paul Pogba (€147.5 million).

Ronaldo’s estimated transfer value

Ronaldo is valued at a “mere” €80.4 million, according to the study. Factors the study takes into account include age, position, contract duration, performance and international status.

The list has not changed drastically from last year. Several out of the top ten from last season have remained in the top ten, while Luis Suarez and Eden Hazard are out of the top ten but remain in the top 20.

Factors that work against Ronaldo at this point in time are his age as well as his form – he has surprisingly not been his usual best for Real this season and has only managed to score four goals from 13 La Liga matches; a record that leaves him a distant 80/1 with NetBet Sport to claim top goalscorer this season.

Age catching up with Cristiano?

Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s fierce rival Messi has been brilliant so far this season as Barcelona seemingly look destined to win the La Liga. Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or award last season as he played an instrumental role as Los Blancos went on to win La Liga and the Uefa Champions League. His form this season, however, suggests he could now have peaked.

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This is indeed major news in the world of football as Ronaldo has been a player who has dominated headlines for more than ten years now and is held by most as being one of the greatest footballers of all time.

At 32 years of age, Ronaldo is certainly past the age at which most players are able to shine. He is, however, not your average player and one of the hardest-working elite athletes, so this will be a major source of disappointment for him.

Meanwhile, he will captain Portugal at this year’s World Cup, which could well be his last. Knowing Ronaldo and his passion for the game, however, if he is able to continue to perform decently for the next four years, it would not be surprising to see him turn out for his country during the 2022 World Cup aged 37.

The post Where Does Cristiano Ronaldo Rank Amongst the World’s Most Valuable Footballers? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

That’s according to The Daily Star, who report that the 32-year-old wants to end his nine-year spell with Madrid and return to England. Numerous media reports over the past few months have claimed that Ronaldo became fed up with life in Spain during the summer after he was accused of tax evasion by the authorities.

The Portuguese superstar has been unable to recapture his sensational form of old this term and has only managed four goals in the La Liga so far, leading many to believe his time at the Santiago Bernabeu may be coming to a close.

Ronaldo and Hazard to be used in swap deal?

Meanwhile, the future of Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge is currently the subject of intense speculation, with the Belgian being strongly linked with a move to Madrid.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen to make a marquee signing this summer, so much so that he is even willing to use Hazard as part of a deal that will see Ronaldo join the Blues.

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Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane recently played down speculation that Ronaldo could leave the Santiago Bernabeu when he said: “I can’t imagine a Real Madrid without Cristiano, not at all.

“He’s a Madrid player and he wants to finish his career here. I don’t see him playing anywhere else.”

Why a Man United move is unlikely

Ronaldo is said to believe that a move to Chelsea is the best offer that he will get and it is unlikely that he will move back to United, considering his relationship with Jose Mourinho deteriorated at Madrid.

United have twice been used by Ronaldo in the past as he leveraged their interested to negotiate new contracts with Los Blancos in 2013 and 2015.

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Real’s troubled relationship with United will also further complicate matters.

United refused to let the Spanish giants have goalkeeper David De Gea three years ago and in turn, Real did not let the Red Devils sign striker Alvaro Morata.

Morata eventually ended up joining Chelsea last summer and has scored 12 goals for the club so far.

Cristiano still hungry for a challenge

CR7 may now be past his prime but he still appears to be hungry as ever to win games and carry on playing, and it is unlikely that he will quit the game anytime soon.

With things not going according to plan at Real this season, combined with his accusations of tax evasion, the 32-year-old may just fancy a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu in order to pursue a fresh challenge.

Should Chelsea sign Ronaldo, it will be a major coup and in addition to providing them with quality on the pitch, he will also be a good mentor to younger players within the squad.

The post Ronaldo ‘Prefers Move to Chelsea’ Over Man United first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

Spanish publication Diario Gol broke the news earlier today, following reports the Portuguese superstar had been house-hunting in the UK to start planning for life away from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo has reportedly become disillusioned with life at Real Madrid, after being investigated for tax evasion last summer and seeing his relationship with Los Blancos president Florentino Perez deteriorate.

The 32-year-old has long expressed his admiration for former club Manchester United, who are considered favourites ahead of Chelsea and PSG to sign the star should Real acquiesce to Cristiano’s recent request to have the price of his buy-out clause reduced from a symbolic €1 billion to a figure in the region of €100 million.

Real reportedly willing to sell up

Despite closing out 2017 with further individual awards, including the European Sportsperson of the Year and Globe Soccer Best Player of the Year, Ronaldo has had a relatively torrid time in La Liga this season, with Real currently sitting fourth in the table; 14 points behind runaway leaders and long-time rivals Barcelona.

And, according to Diario Gol, Real may be sensationally prepared to let Ronaldo walk should they receive any suitable offers over the next few weeks.

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Real Madrid have surprisingly been poor by their standards this season. Los Blancos are currently in fourth position in the La Liga standings and trail runaway leaders Barcelona by 11 points. There is no doubt that coach Zinedine Zidane will be looking to strengthen his side during the January transfer window so that they can improve their current position.

However, according to Diario Gol, the Portuguese superstar has reportedly provided his side with a list of players he would be unwilling to play alongside.

Two of the names on Ronaldo’s forbidden list are Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Arturo Vidal. However, both signings are considered extremely unlikely to happen.

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The other three players on the list include names who could realistically end up joining Madrid at some point: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and, surprisingly, Tottenham superstar Harry Kane. It appears that CR7 still wants to be the biggest player on the Madrid roster and believes that the aforementioned players could affect his status, especially as he is now in the latter years of his career.

Neymar only moved to PSG during last summer’s transfer window for a record €222 million and it is unlikely that the French giants would be willing to part ways with the 25-year old anytime soon. It looks like they are hoping that he can be the catalyst of their push towards becoming the best club in European football, which at the moment, it looks like they are on track to achieve.

The most surprising player on the list is Spurs’ Harry Kane. The England striker has been strongly linked with a move to Madrid in recent months due to his form, combined with underwhelming performances from Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who now looks like his best days are behind him.

Harry Kane in Real Madrid’s sights?

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Kane finished the year with 56 goals; the most in Europe, ahead of both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. If there is one player who could end the ten-year domination of the Ballon d’Or award that Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed, it is likely to be the 24-year-old.

Ronaldo is good friends with Benzema and does not want to see the French international leave the club. However, Benzema is one of the players that are likely to be moved on in the near future and Kane is a potential replacement that the Spanish giants could pursue.

It remains to be seen how Ronaldo will react should this happen. At 24, Kane has not even reached the peak of his career and should he arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu, he will likely challenge Ronaldo’s position as the top player at the club.

Interesting times lie ahead and Madrid may be forced to make some difficult but important decisions. Could CR7’s nearly decade-long stint with Madrid be coming to an end?

The post Ronaldo Blocks Real Madrid From Signing Five Players first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

According to reports in national newspapers in the UK, the 32-year-old also checked out a number of private prep schools for his seven-year-old son Cristiano Jr during his low-key visit.

The Mirror alleges that the Real Madrid superstar wants his children to receive an education fit for royalty, and has been looking into a number of schools on par with the Thomas’s Battersea prep school, attended by Prince George. Thomas’s charges fees of £17,600 per year – a mere drop in the ocean for Ronaldo, who earns a reported £365,000 per week at Los Blancos.

House-hunting in Surrey and London

The original story’s unnamed source also claims that CR7 has been house-hunting in London and Surrey, amidst rumours that he has asked Real to lower the price of his buy-out clause ahead of a potential move away from the Santiago Bernabeu. “He’s looked at possible homes in Leatherhead in Surrey and even a flat in London. It’s obviously something he’s very seriously considering,” the source reportedly told The Mirror.

Ronaldo is a doting father who regularly speaks of his children in media interviews. At the start of the month, he spoke about Cristiano Jr. during an interview with David Ginola. “I see a bit of myself in Cristiano Jr, and not only because he’s my son,” the Portugal captain said. “He told me he will be better than me – he tells me he will win a Ballon d’Or and that he can win five.”

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That’s according to British publication The Daily Record, who claim sources close to the Portuguese state that he is willing to “fight for a move” away from the Bernabeu next summer.

Following the €222 million signing of Barcelona forward Neymar by Paris Saint-Germain last year, the spend-happy French champions are considered amongst favourites to be bidding for Ronaldo’s signature should he become available, along with the 32-year-old’s former club Manchester United.

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According to Metro, Ronaldo believes Perez has “backtracked on a promise” to increase his wages after having one of the best seasons of his professional career, guiding Madrid to a memorable La Liga and Champions League double. Cristiano reportedly feels undervalued compared to those players considered below him in the pecking order for world’s best footballer: namely, Neymar and long-time rival Lionel Messi.

The 147-times-capped Portugal international was also reportedly angered by Perez’s recent media comments about his desire to have signed the Argentine superstar for Real earlier in the 30-year-old’s career, with some outlets claiming the player and president are no longer on speaking terms.

After signing a contract extension in November 2016 to take his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu through to 2021 at the earliest, however, there is plenty of time for Los Blancos to win around their star man.

The post Ronaldo Requests €100 Million Buy-Out on Madrid Contract first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

La Liga officials have long claimed that Spanish employment law forces clubs to attach a buy-out clause to each player’s contract, but these numbers were largely thought to be hypothetical maximums. That is, at least, until Neymar’s €222 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris-St Germain this summer, in which the French cash kings lodged the full amount as a deposit with the league after the Blaugrana attempted to block the move at every turn.

As a result of such ludicrous figures now changing hands, the buy-out clauses of some of La Liga’s top stars have come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks. And, according to the Portuguese star’s contract with Real, Ronaldo is the joint-most valuable player in the world, with his buy-out – and surprisingly, that of teammate Karim Benzema – standing at a stunning €1 billion.

Lionel Messi, by comparison, has a relatively paltry buy-out clause standing at €300 million, with nine La Liga players deemed hypothetically more valuable than him. Of course, a large part of the figure being relatively “low” is Barcelona’s trust in their star man not to leave the club he so deeply cherishes.

While it would seem one billion euros should be enough to deter potential poachers, the past year has shown us crazy things do happen in football, and no amount of money for the signature of Cristiano Ronaldo can now be considered pure fantasy.

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