• Portuguese celebrity is now a free agent
• Released by Manchester United
• Linked with groups in England, America & Middle East

WHAT HAPPENED? The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who started his skilled enjoying profession in Lisbon, has change into a free agent after being released by Premier League heavyweights Manchester United. A return to his roots has been speculated on for the legendary 37-year-old, amid speak of alternative options in England and Saudi Arabia being considered, however Sporting are rising uninterested in hypothesis that Ronaldo has by no means been requested to deal with himself.

WHAT THEY SAID: Amorim snapped again when quizzed on Ronaldo after Sporting’s Taca de Liga quarter-final win over Braga on Monday, stating: “Ronaldo was in Qatar, they had the opportunity to ask him and they didn’t. I’ve been asked 500 times and I already answered.”

The 37-year-old tactician stated of the infinite Ronaldo rumours again in October: “Everybody in Sporting dreams of the return for Cristiano but we don’t have the money to pay his wages.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sporting president Federico Varandas has beforehand said: “Ruben Amorim vetoed the return? Of course not. It was never even a topic or was on the table. There was never a conversation with me, with Hugo Viana or Amorim. This topic never existed. I know it sells a lot in the press.”

Meanwhile, sporting director Hugo Viana has stated of Ronaldo’s subsequent transfer: “He can decide where he can go. But you never know the future…so whatever he decides, let’s see.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Ronaldo has endured a testing 2022-23 campaign, with a bit-part position at United and explosive interview which led to his departure from Old Trafford adopted by extra bench responsibility and questions of his worth to Portugal’s trigger on the World Cup finals in Qatar.