CRISTIANO RONALDO could be set to play at the Club World Cup following a “leaked” statement from Gianni Infantino.
The Fifa president let slip to YouTuber IShowSpeed that plans are underway for Ronaldo, 40, to take part at this summer’s expanded 32-team bonanza.
The Portugal legend’s club Al-Nassr have not qualified for the Club World Cup, which is being held in the USA.
And following Infantino’s admission, Ronaldo could now be set for a transfer away from his Saudi side.
The ex-Manchester United star is out of contract at the end of June – the midway point of the Club World Cup.
And with no new deal on the horizon, Ronaldo could be on the move permanently.
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Here, SunSport looks at seven possible options for the veteran forward ahead of the Club World Cup…
CHELSEA
It’s no secret that Chelsea are in desperate need of a striker.
The Blues almost blew Champions League qualification after the likes of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson went off the boil.
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Ronaldo has shown he still has an eye for goal after netting 35 times this season – making for 99 goals in 111 games since moving to Al-Nassr.
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And after Todd Boehly considered making a move for Ronnie following his Man United exit in 2022, the time could finally be right for the pair to come together.
AL-HILAL
Having won the Saudi title six times in the past decade, Al-Hilal are arguably the biggest club in the Middle Eastern nation.
Despite finishing runners-up to Al-Ittihad this term, they still boast the strongest squad thanks to big names like Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Should Ronaldo want to stay in Saudi while picking up a mega wage, Al-Hilal would be the safest bet.
And with them and Al-Nassr both under majority ownership from Saudi’s Public Investment Fund, there is unlikely to be an issue in making a transfer happen.
PALMEIRAS
The Brazilian runners-up have an exciting squad under Abel Ferreira and will be ones to watch this summer.
Exciting forwards like Facundo Torres and Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian create chances aplenty.
And Ronaldo would automatically become a club icon if he made the move.
It would also present the opportunity for CR7 to take on fierce rival Lionel Messi at the Club World Cup, with Palmeiras drawn in the same group as Inter Miami.
CF MONTERREY
One of Mexico’s top sides, they boast a host of stars who used to ply their trade in LaLiga.
Lucas Ocampos, Jesus Corona and Sergio Canales are among the big names starring at Monterrey.
However, the top dog is none other than Spanish legend Sergio Ramos, who now captains the team.
He forged an unbreakable bond with Ronaldo at Real Madrid, and would be influential in persuading his old pal to make the move to North America.
WYDAD CASABLANCA
Representing Morocco, Casablanca chiefs are keen to make a statement.
They are desperate to make an impact at the Club World Cup and put Moroccan football on the map.
Former Premier League star Nordin Amrabat is on the verge of completing a move to them this summer.
And he confirmed Casablanca are hoping to strike a deal for Ronaldo, saying: “The president is extremely ambitious and is currently in talks with several really big names. It is true that Cristiano is among them.”
REAL MADRID
Speaking of Real, they are set for a new era after Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti as boss.
Another former teammate of Ronaldo, he has already built a reputation for thinking outside the box.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr were unable to click as Real ended the season trophyless.
And a return to the Bernabeu could inspire both Los Blancos and Ronaldo to get back to their best.
INTER MIAMI
A potentially controversial move but an exciting one nonetheless.
Miami already boast a host of superstar names, with Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba becoming fan favourites.
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However, Lionel Messi is top dog in Florida and was once Ronaldo’s biggest rival while playing for Barcelona.
Miami would have to let one of their big stars go, having already reached their quota for “designated” players, but the opportunity to sign Ronaldo may be too good to pass up.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
