Cristiano Ronaldo may have parted ways with Manchester United, but Gary Neville believes the Premier League hasn’t seen the last of the Portuguese legend.
WHAT OCCURED? Following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which the five-time Ballon d’Or winner slammed prominent figures from United’s past and present, the club decided to release the legendary figure as a free agent. Various landing spots for Ronaldo are now being touted, from America to the Middle East, but Neville hopes his former teammate can find another club that allows him to shine on the biggest stage – with the possibility of remaining in England.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville said: “How does he see the end of his career playing out? Is he seeing the end of his career playing in minor leagues, or does he see himself playing in one of the major leagues and continuing at that level? I hope it’s the latter and he can find a club in a major league, even the Premier League – I’d love for him to stay in the Premier League at a club that can have him up front and we can watch him every week. That’s what we want to see, him playing.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo has been training with Real Madrid in recent days in an effort to stay fit and sharp following a 2022 World Cup campaign that ended his international career at the highest level. “I felt sorry for Cristiano in the end when he was walking down that tunnel in tears – that long walk down the tunnel that they showed after the game against Morocco,” Neville said of seeing the 37-year-old bow out of that tournament after playing a bit-part role from the bench. That’s never a good image because you know he’s thinking, ‘This is it, I’ll never play in this tournament again.'”
WHAT COMES NEXT? While much of the speculation surrounding Ronaldo’s future has centered on a supposedly lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, new rumors suggest that Chelsea may yet rekindle their interest in the all-time great, allowing him to continue gracing the Premier League stage.