#360view: The time is right to sell Cristiano Ronaldo

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  • Lessening power: Cristiano Ronaldo.

    While conspiracy theories and conjecture often dominate dispatches from Real Madrid, with each passing week it’s becoming increasing likely this will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final season for Los Blancos.

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    The Portuguese is under contract until 2018 and turns 31 in February. He and agent Jorge Mendes are acutely aware he probably has one mega deal left. Mendes’ proclamation that he will “end his career in Madrid” doesn’t happen without it. 

    With each carefully-placed rumour of interest from Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain or the MLS, Madrid president Florentino Perez is being forced into offering Ronaldo a new deal or consider selling him. But where that question was once a no-brainer, the previously unthinkable is no more.

    During his backing of Rafael Benitez, Perez even managed to afford himself a jibe at Mendes, pretending to forget his name. Unless he’s grown that accustomed to having him on speed dial, the president of the world’s most powerful club simply does not ever forget the name of the world’s most powerful agent.

    This was a message that the influence of the Mendes-Ronaldo axis is not what it was. Affection from the fans is also dwindling, as Ronaldo was one of the few Madrid players individually jeered on Saturday against Barcelona.

    It was telling that Isco, who lasted just 29 minutes, was applauded by socios as he was sent off for a hack on Neymar. That being viewed as showing greater effort than what their superstar was displaying.

    Ronaldo was not alone in being utterly hopeless but, at the same time, he is one of Madrid’s most experienced players and an on-field leader. As one of the world’s best it’s up to him to perform when times are tough, against the best opposition, not stand with hands on hips, pouting indifference towards team-mates and Benitez.

    Ronaldo still has a healthy eight goals in 12 league games this season but five of those were in one game against Espanyol. For the first time in his career, given what Madrid could possibly get for him, a situation is fast developing where he is no longer an indispensable asset.

    Certainly PSG would plunge all they can into bringing him to the French capital. They’ve tried and failed before and their willingness to grow the stature and brand of the club worldwide would be dramatically enhanced by acquiring CR7.

    Then there is United. Louis van Gaal himself has said: “With Ronaldo, let’s wait and hope”. Chief executive Ed Woodward’s Ballon d’Or-driven transfer policy would also make the Portuguese more than a little tempting.

    Sentimentality can rule rational thought and, in PR terms, the likely reaction of a Ronaldo return would be a major coup for Woodward in terms of popularity among supporters and owners the Glazers.

    But from a football standpoint, is it worth it? United would likely have to break the British transfer record, and pay him in excess of £250,000-a-week. An awful lot of money that could be spent on younger, more malleable talent for Van Gaal’s system.

    Ronaldo has spent the last six years essentially playing in a free role for Madrid; allowed to roam on the wing, behind the strikers or act as a glorified goal-hanger. Any defensively responsibility he developed when working with Sir Alex Ferguson has all-but disappeared. Can Van Gaal get that back? Given Ronaldo’s age, and the stage of his career he’s at, it’s unlikely.

    From Ronaldo’s point of view, does he really want to move to a club – and one no longer operating at the absolute highest level of European football – where he’s required to be disciplined and diligent, sacrificing his own glory, for the collective? As much as his acolytes will argue, he is in decline.

    Yes, he would certainly bring goals and glamour but the pace and purposeful dribbling, the creativity and set-piece prowess is not what it was. Especially against elite opposition.

    One final, great season – similar to Robin van Persie in 2012-13 – could sway things but United are a club rebuilding for the future, not wallowing in the past.

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