In a shocking turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo looks ready to leave Manchester United only a year after making a sensational return. Though he seemed happy to be back at Old Trafford, the team's struggles in the past season could take a toll in his second stint at the club.
The Red Devils not only failed to challenge for silverware, but they didn't even qualify for the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League. Ronaldo, 37, knows Father Time will eventually catch up with him but he wants to continue to play at the highest level until that day comes.
His reported desire to leave Manchester this summer has immediately drawn interest from other European powerhouses, with Chelsea apparently leading the race. However, it looks like Barcelona are monitoring his situation as well.
Report: Joan Laporta, Cristiano Ronaldo's camp discuss potential Barcelona move
According to Mario de la Riva of Spanish outlet As, Joan Laporta has met with Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes in Barcelona and talked about a potential Camp Nou move for the Man Utd star this summer.
It's unclear whether it was priority or not, but the report claims that it was a topic of discussion regardless. Barcelona may not have the financial power they had years ago, but they have made progress under Xavi Hernandez and want to continue doing so.
Barca have already secured the signings of sought-after free agent Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, who also arrived for nothing after running out of contract at Chelsea. But the transfer window is from over and the Cules aim to land a world-class striker.
Robert Lewandowski appeared to be their priority target, but Bayern's reluctance to let him leave and Ronaldo's unexpected request to leave could make Barca switch their attention to the Portuguese ace. Ronaldo's price tag may not be as high as other targets such as Bernardo Silva given that he's 37 and has only one year left in his contract.
But then again, Xavi's Barca is still a work in progress and Ronaldo may prefer a club in a stronger position. Besides, let's not forget the fact that he has a strong connection with Real Madrid. Only time will tell how this plays out after the reported meeting.
