NEWCASTLE legend Chris Waddle insists his former club’s mega rich owners shouldn’t sign Cristiano Ronaldo after his dramatic Manchester United exit.
United ripped Ronaldo’s contract apart after his bombshell interview in which he slammed the club from top to bottom and took shots at manager Erik ten Hag, the owners and former team-mates.
The Portugal international’s future is uncertain as he is currently focused on the World Cup, but the Magpies are one of the few clubs that can match his £500,000-a-week wages.
However, Waddle insists the five-time Ballon d’Or winner wouldn’t fit Eddie Howe’s high pressing game and the Toon should instead look for younger talent with significant longevity.
The former England international expects the 37-year-old star forward to “see his days” abroad in a slower and more possession-based league.
Waddle told SunSport: “I think it would be great publicity for the owners and the club. Personally no, if you want to progress as a club I don’t think they should get Ronaldo.
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“Yes, sign him to the end of the season but Callum Wilson is doing ever so well. Would you leave Callum Wilson out? Ronaldo wants to play, Ronaldo’s not gonna sit on the bench. For me it’s a no no.
“I think we will see Cristiano Ronaldo going off abroad and I think that’s where he will see his days. I think he’s done with England.
“If I was Newcastle United, I would be looking long term. I’d be looking to think, ‘Can I get a player in who can play for the next three or four seasons?’ For me, if I was Newcastle, I’d avoid Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo is very much an individual and plays the way he plays.
“He’d have to play as a centre-forward, you couldn’t play him anywhere else at the minute. Newcastle press and they work very very hard. If you watch Newcastle, they press, they play high. That’s not Ronaldo’s game.
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“So I don’t think he’d be a great fit. I’m sure he’d score goals cause he will score goals wherever he goes. He’s a great player, still a good player today. But I think he’ll end up going somewhere where it’s more possession based, slower league; I think that would suit Ronaldo.
“I think if he goes to somewhere like that, I think that would suit him. But if I was Newcastle, I think there’s better options out there if you want to spend money.”
Ronaldo could get significant time off to recover from the World Cup as a free agent, but the same doesn’t go for Arsenal and Manchester City players – something that could affect both clubs’ title chances.
Waddle doesn’t expect the high-flying Gunners to remain top of the league as he believes key players’ national teams will go far in Qatar and that will affect their form in the Premier League.
The former attacking midfielder believes City will retain their Prem crown, and isn’t counting Liverpool, United, Chelsea and former clubs Tottenham as well as Newcastle out of the top-four race.
Waddle added: “It’s gonna be hard because a lot of these players will go quite away in the tournament and if they go quite away and go back they will be tired. Imagine the highs and the lows.
“The ones who are getting knocked out in the semis or the quarters…. Very disappointed and you will have to lift them when they’re back. They will have to kick back in the Premier League, which is not an easy league to kick into cause it’s very, very physical, demanding and it’s not gonna be easy.
“The ones that will win it, they may not be back for days. They will have been celebrating and they’re gonna have to go in. It’s gonna be very awkward for a lot of players – for Arsenal and Man City, two teams who are up there at the minute riding high.
“The ones who haven’t got the players away will definitely benefit, I don’t doubt anything about that. I think Arsenal have a very focused manager, decent squad I would say. But his men have to come back on a high.
“I don’t think Arsenal will win it, I think City will win it. I wouldn’t rate Liverpool coming in the top four. I wouldn’t write Liverpool off, I wouldn’t write off Man Utd for the top four, Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea.
“I’m sure Chelsea will be looking at the squad and thinking, “Why we’re not firing”. I think Chelsea know they need to sort something out.
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“A club like Chelsea has to finish top four, very important that they get the Champions League because of money and everything that goes with it. You’d really expect Chelsea to kick start after January.”
Chris Waddle was speaking at the launch of William Hill’s first Home Shop in Hillsborough. Home Shops give customers a unique matchday experience, with another eight going live when the Premier League returns.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
