BARCELONA are planning a sensational move for Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports from Spain.
It is believed the Spanish giants want to unite the Juvenus star with Lionel Messi, who is yet to commit his future to the club.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, club captain Messi is on the verge of signing a new contract to keep him at the Nou Camp beyond this summer.
The Argentine forward is said to have a good relationship with returning president Joan Laporta and his father, Jorge, is in Barcelona to complete the deal.
And with Messi’s contract all but signed, Laporta has reportedly switched his focus to hiring Ronaldo.
Rumours suggest the administrator dreams about uniting the two greats of modern football – and is willing to give Ronaldo’s current side two players in a swap deal.
It is believed Laporta will offer Juventus two of Antoine Griezmann, Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho.
Wages are not thought to be a problem, with the Portugal skipper reportedly receiving the combined salary of the two departing players.
If the transfer was to proceed, it would not go down well with Ronaldo’s former employers and Barcelona’s biggest rivals.
He is arguably Real’s greatest ever player, scoring a record 450 goals for the Spanish club between 2009 and 2018.
The ex-Manchester United star won two LaLigas, four Champions Leagues and four Ballon d’Ors during his time at the Bernabeu.
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Ronaldo forged a famous rivalry with Barcelona icon Messi, who won six LaLigas, two Champions Leagues and four Ballon d’Ors during the same time frame.
The two players are widely regarded as the finest of the modern era, with football fans across the globe split on who is the greatest.
Ronaldo fans will highlight his five Champions League titles – one more than the Argentine’s tally of four – and his 781 senior goals.
Messi supporters, meanwhile, will focus on his six Ballor d’Ors – one more than the Portuguese’s tally of five – and his ten league titles.
Speaking about Messi in 2019, Ronaldo said: “I really admire the career he has had so far.
“And, for his part, he has already said that he had trouble when I left the Spanish league because it is a rivalry that he appreciates.
“It is a good rivalry that exists in football, but this is no exception.
“Michael Jordan had rivals in basketball, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were great rivals in Formula One…
“The only common point between all the big rivalries in the sport is that they are healthy.”
When asked a similar question, Messi revealed: “Today, there are very good players.
“Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Luis Suarez, Eden Hazard… any of them could be the best in the world.
“But I took Cristiano out of that group and put him with me.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
