Cristiano Ronaldo is without a club after being sacked from Manchester United.Image: IMAGO/Laci Perenyi
Bundesliga
Less than a week after the World Cup final, the ball is rolling again in England’s professional leagues. On Thursday, Manchester City and Liverpool will face each other in the round of 16 of the League Cup. Manchester United has also played and defeated second division club FC Burnley 2-0 in the cup.
The Red Devils fans were treated to an unusual sight. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was not to be seen either on the lawn or on the bench. As is well known, he was fired a few weeks ago because, in a well-received interview, he lashed out against those responsible for the club.
Ronaldo will probably not find an employer in Europe
The Portuguese is currently without a club. Because of his astronomical salary, advanced age and reputation for not being the easiest player, Europe’s top clubs shy away from signing the global star.
Especially since Ronaldo only wants to play for a club that is still in the Champions League.
At the moment it looks like only the Saudi club Al-Nassr can and wants to afford the Portuguese. On Wednesday evening, a photo made the rounds showing Ronaldo at the airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
Even before the current season, Ronaldo had tried to force his departure from Manchester. United had only qualified for the Europa League, which was not enough by Ronaldo’s claims.
Ronaldo offered Bundesliga club in the summer
The 37-year-old and his team of consultants tried desperately to land at a Champions League club and asked for it in Germany. As has now become known, not only at FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
The surprising answer: The Ronaldo side also approached Eintracht Frankfurt. By winning the Europa League, the eagle carriers have secured a place in the Champions League – where they once again shone with strong performances and made it sensationally into the round of 16.
“He was also offered to us,” said CFO Axel Hellmann in the Dazn documentary “3 perspectives – top class in the heart of Europe”. A statement that speaks volumes about the changed standing of Eintracht – and about Ronaldo.
Opposite to “pictureHellmann said that Ronaldo’s advisers had “already worked out a financing plan”. For classification, Eintracht’s CEO Philipp Holzer also added in the documentary: “I have the feeling that it was offered to every Champions League club.”
After years of harsh criticism of Hasan Salihamidžić’s transfer policy, “Sport Bild” titled FC Bayern’s sports director in the summer suddenly as the “transfer king”. The squad planner had previously bagged two mega transfers with Sadio Mané and Matthijs de Ligt and generated more than 100 million euros in transfer income.
