Chelsea were linked with a move for the veteran striker over the summer and could now look to take advantage of the situation at Old Trafford.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chelsea are considering a January move for Cristiano Ronaldo, say reports, after the Portuguese star was dropped by Manchester United for disciplinary reasons.
The 37-year-old has struggled for game time under Erik ten Hag and his frustration came through loud and clear when he refused to come on as a late substitute in last week's win over Tottenham, before walking down the tunnel early.
As a result, Ten Hag left Ronaldo out of his squad for Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Ten Hag dropped Ronaldo from his squad after the incident against Spurs. (Image credit: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The incident has sparked fresh speculation about the veteran’s future, after a summer where he was unable to find a move to a club competing in the Champions League.
Chelsea were among the teams to be credited with an interest then, and the Daily Mail reports that they are again weighing up a bid ahead of the mid-season transfer market.
Owner Todd Boehly’s good relationship with Jorge Mendes, the agent of Ronaldo, could play a part.
Former Blues manager Thomas Tuchel was opposed to the move in the summer, but he has since been sacked and successor Graham Potter’s take on the potential arrival of Ronaldo is unknown.
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Ronaldo has just two goals to his name this season. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Ronaldo has scored one goal in eight Premier League games this season, starting just twice.
United’s win over Spurs in his absence was widely praised as their best performance under Ten Hag, while the draw against Chelsea left them in fifth, one point outside the top four.
Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
