CRISTIANO RONALDO has faced another transfer blow after football chiefs at Roma claim they never wanted to star.
The Manchester United wantaway could soon be back on the market following reports that club officials are prepared to rip up his contract.
This comes after Ronaldo’s explosive interview where he launched a stinging attack against his employers and hit out at his manager Erik ten Hag.
But not many clubs in Europe appear able or willing to pick up Ronaldo, with the 37-year-old’s big wages and outspoken personality potential issues.
But he likely has options further abroad in America or the Middle East.
Roma have now distanced themselves from the forward with the Italian side managed by Jose Mourinho, who has an intense and complicated history with Ronaldo.
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Well-connected football journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that the club claim they were “never” in for him, despite speculation.
Roma director Tiago Pinto said: “Cristiano Ronaldo has never been an option for Roma – nothing serious or concrete despite the rumours. We’ve never opened talks to sign him.
“Maybe they linked CR7 to us as I’m Portuguese and Mourinho too, but that was not the case.”
Mourinho has previously managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid where the two won trophies but repeatedly clashed – and their relationship appears to have grown frostier in recent years.
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Despite a few clubs like Napoli and Atletico Madrid showing opposition to the ex-Real Madrid, he insists he remains hot property.
Ronaldo told Piers Morgan in the now infamous interview that several clubs bugged his agent Jorge Mendes about the Portuguese star’s availability.
He said: “They say many, many garbage things [about] that. If you are agent, what you’re going to do? You go [to] the clubs. But Jorge Mendes for example, has more than 100 players and they go Chelsea, they go Arsenal, they always mention Cristiano Ronaldo, they offer Cristiano.”
Ronaldo also claimed he had been offered a £3m-a-week offer to play in Saudi Arabia, but turned it down.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
