As a replacement for the injured Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been offered a return to Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid.
The Portuguese superstar might play for his old team for six months, according to a report by the Spanish publication Sport. According to the article’s author, Lluis Miguelsanz, Madrid president “Florentino Pérez is looking for a striker and Ronaldo would like to return to Madrid,”
The news follows Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which the 37-year-old publicly criticized his current employers Manchester United, including head coach Erik Ten Hag and the club’s owners, the Glazers.
As a result, United look set to terminate Ronaldo’s contract by mutual consent after the World Cup, opening the door for the possibility of a sensational return to the Spanish capital for Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer.
The injury to Benzema that will rule him out of France’s World Cup campaign has only added further fuel to the rumours of a deal going through in the next few weeks.
The Ballon d’Or winner, who scored an astonishing 44 goals across all competitions last term as Real secured a memorable league and European double, was on Sunday ruled out of the tournament in Qatar after suffering a thigh injury in training.
As Les Blues attempt to defend the trophy they won in Russia four years ago, the 34-year-absence old’s on the eve of the tournament will be a major setback for France manager Didier Deschamps, who will also be without Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
Karim scored a crucial goal in this World Cup, and Deschamps expressed his extreme sadness for him.
“In my life, I never give up, but tonight, I have to think about the team like I always do,” Benzema said.
Therefore, the reason urges me to turn over my position to someone who can help our team win the World Cup.
In the meantime, Ronaldo is expected to lead Portugal against Ghana in their opening group matchup on November 24 and become just the fourth player in history to compete at five FIFA World Cup finals for men.
Ronaldo has played in over 190 senior international matches and has scored an incredible 117 goals for his nation.
His performances for United this season, however, have been overshadowed by a number of high-profile off-field incidents that have stoked rumors of tensions between player and club. His open interview with Morgan last week all but confirmed these rumors.
