Manchester United departs for its pre-season tour on Friday, yet the club is still not sure if Cristiano Ronaldo will be on that flight to Thailand.
United's failure to qualify for the Champions League, coupled with a lack of transfer activity to bolster the squad under new coach Erik ten Hag, have factored into Ronaldo mulling his future at the club.
As a result, United is reportedly willing to listen to offers for Ronaldo, who has one year remaining on his contract.
The likes of Bayern Munich have already ruled themselves out of the race, with CEO Oliver Kahn saying Ronaldo "would not fit into [Bayern's] philosophy." That excludes one of the few clubs that is in the Champions League, needs a forward and is able to afford the Portuguese's wages.
Options are slowly eroding, so as it stands, here are five possible destinations for Ronaldo this summer if he leaves Man United.
Chelsea
Odds of joining Chelsea: -125
At this stage, Chelsea is the likeliest of the five listed clubs.
New owner Todd Boehly already met Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, at the end of June with Ronaldo's availability among the topics of discussion, per The Athletic's David Ornstein.
Chelsea shipped out Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan on loan, so there is an opening up front. Coach Thomas Tuchel does prefer strikers in the mould of Kai Havertz, though, so it's unknown if he'd be open to a potential Ronaldo signing.
Another factor to consider is financial fair play regulations. These new rules, which were officially implemented in June, limit spending on wages, transfers and agent fees to 70 per cent of a club's revenue. Chelsea's revenue for the 2020-21 season was €493.1 million ($650 million), per Deloitte.
Ronaldo will command hefty wages, but it's still doable for Chelsea after a few player departures and it has an extra space for a forward, even if the Blues finalize a move for Raheem Sterling.
Paris Saint-Germain
Odds of joining Paris Saint-Germain: +1200
No matter the player, Paris Saint-Germain will always be linked given its financial muscle.
Partnering Ronaldo with Lionel Messi is a tantalizing prospect for fans and it could be a reality if Neymar departs PSG this summer.
That is, however, very unlikely due to the potential fee and wages Neymar would command. Only a handful of clubs could afford it and the Brazilian revealed in 2021 that he doesn't have any interest in playing in the Premier League, which limits his options even further.
Of course, in the ever-changing world of the transfer window, anything is possible.
Should Neymar leave, then it opens the door for Ronaldo. Whether chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants a "bling-bling" player after his comments to Le Parisien (via 90min.com) is another factor.
Sporting CP
Odds of joining Sporting CP: +2200
Ronaldo pulled off one homecoming last summer. Why not make it two in as many years?
Sporting qualified for the Champions League group stage, Ruben Amorim's side plays some of the most attractive football in Portugal and there are a number of young players who Ronaldo can mentor. Footballing-wise, it makes a lot of sense.
However, permanent transfer might be difficult to pull off with Sporting's wage structure. A season-long loan could be done, though, if United doesn't mind losing Ronaldo for free next June.
Major League Soccer
Odds of joining any MLS team: +5000
A few European players have moved to North America this summer, including Ronaldo's former teammate Gareth Bale. Perhaps another ex-Real Madrid forward follows that trend.
MLS' secondary transfer window opened on Thursday, so there is time to orchestrate a move. Of course, there's the small matter of the league's complicated salary-cap regulations. Some desirable clubs have used all their Designated Player spots, although surely some teams would move heaven and earth to sign Ronaldo.
Newcastle United
Odds of joining Newcastle United: +6600
If the Qataris at PSG are interested in Ronaldo, surely Saudi-backed Newcastle United is intrigued as well.
It would be a huge statement of intent from Newcastle's new owners if they landed Ronaldo this summer, although it will be difficult for a variety of factors, beginning with no Champions League.
The allure of Newcastle would be financially motivated, although the Magpies have built a solid squad. The back line has been shored up by centre-back Sven Botman, full-back Matt Targett — who joined permanently after his loan from Aston Villa — along with former Burnley goalkeeper and England international Nick Pope.
Regardless, that may not be enough to sway Ronaldo.
Betting odds listed above via the Bet365 Sportsbook as of Thursday afternoon.
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